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AN    ARMY    OFFICER    ON 
LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 


INCLUDING  A   SKETCH  OF   MANILA  AND   ENVIRONMENT.  PHILIPPINE 

INSURRECTION  OF  1896-7,  DEWEY'S   BATTLE   OF  MANILA  BAY 

AND  A  DESCRIPTION  OF  FORMOSA 


BY 


L.    MERVIN  MAUS 

COLONEL   UNITED   STATES  ARMY 


ILLUSTRATED 


CHICAGO 

A.  C.  McCLURG  &  CO. 
1911 


Copyright 

A.  C.  McCLURG  &  CO. 

1911 


Published  October,  1911 


Entered  at  Stationers'  Hall,  London,  England 


PRESS    OF    THE    VATL    COMPANY 
COSHOCTON,    V.    S.    A. 


TO  THE  MEMORY 
OP  MY  BELOVED  MOTHER   AND  FATHER 

MARY  MALVINA  GREER  and  ISAAC  RHODES  MAUS 

THIS  BOOK  IS  AFFECTIONATELY  DEDICATED 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  I 

PAGE 

Fbom  San  Francisco  to  Manila .     .      1 

The  lobby  of  the  Palace  Hotel  —  Despatch  from  Washington 
—  Across  the  lonesome  Pacific  —  Arrival  in  Manila  —  Its 
commercial  activity  and  advantages  —  Drive  through  the 
busy  Metropolis  —  Quaint  scenes  on  the  street  —  Our  little 
brown  brother  and  wild  cousin  from  the  mountains  —  Ar- 
rival at  the  Club  and  introduction  to  the  Major  and  the 
Judge  —  Tiffin  and  the  pidce-de-rtsistcmce. 

CHAPTER  IT 

Commercial  Opportunities  in  the  Philippines 8 

The  Civil  Governor  and  Commission  —  An  exemplary  colo- 
nial government  —  The  wealth  of  the  Islands  —  Need  of 
Capital  and  Labor  —  The  early  site  of  Manila  —  The  Army 
and  "Navy  Club  —  The  climate  of  the  Philippines  —  The 
sights  of  the  Walled  City  —  Church  of  Saint  Augustine  — 
The  Palace  of  the  Archbishop  and  the  Cathedral  —  College 
of  Santo  Tomas  —  Santiago  and  its  dungeon  cells  —  The 
Malecon  Driveway  and  Luneta  —  The  execution  of  Rizal. 

CHAPTER  III 

Rambles  Through  Old  Manila 20 

The  new  City  Hall  and  Columbian  Road  —  The  First  Re- 
serve Hospital  —  Insular  Printing  Press  —  Botanical  Gar- 
den—  Government  Refrigerating  Plant  —  Secret  Society  of 
Santa  Cruz  —  The  Shopping  District  —  Bilibid  Prison  — 
San  Lazaro  and  the  lepers  —  Andres  Bonifacio  and  the  Kati- 
punan  —  Sanitation  of  Manila  —  The  Governor's  Palace  — 
The  living  Cemetery  of  Pandacan  —  A  modern  Joan  of  Arc. 

CHAPTER  IV 

Farewell  to  Manila 30 

The  arrival  and  departure  of  the  monthly  transport  —  Re- 
turn to  the  homeland  —  The  Army  transport  service  —  State 
Galleons  or  Naos  de  Acapulco  —  The  military  order  of  the 
vii 


viii  CONTENTS 

PAGE 

Carabao  — The  farewell  wallow  —  Song  to  the  Carabao  — 
The  government  Dougherty  and  army  mule  —  The  sick  pas- 
senger —  Farewell  to  Manila. 

CHAPTER  V 

The  Picturesque  Environment  of  Manila  Bat  and  the  Na- 
tive Insurrection  of  1896-7 40 

The  Bay  of  Manila  —  The  Church  of  La  Loma  —  Shrine  at 
Antipolo  —  Our  Lady  of  Good  Voyage  and  Peace  —  Her  voy- 
ages to  Mexico  —  Mount  Arayat  —  Alejandrino  and  the 
Golden  Bait  —  The  Insurrection  of  1896  —  Emilio  Aguinaldo 

—  Polavieja,  Blanco,  and  Rivera  —  Nozaleda,  the  Blood- 
thirsty—  Iniquitous  land  laws  —  Battle  of  Imus  —  Capture 
of  the  town  and  death  of  the  Friars  —  Treaty  of  Biac-nabat6. 

CHAPTER  VI 

Dewey's  Fight  With  Montojo,  and  the  Sail  Down  the  Bat 
to  Martveles 50 

The  battle  on  Manila  Bay  —  The  episode  between  Dewey  and 
the  German  Admiral  —  English  officer's  reply  to  German 
Admiral  —  The  composition  of  the  Spanish  fleet  —  The  Amer- 
ican fleet  —  The  first  broadside  —  Dewey's  retirement  from 
the  line  of  battle  and  return  —  The  loss  of  the  Spanish  trans- 
port Mindanao  —  The  Spanish  and  American  casualties  — 
The  Island  of  Corregidor  and  the  village  harpists  —  The  loss 
of  the  Hooker  —  Arrival  at  Mariveles. 

CHAPTER  VII 

Legend  of  Mariveles  —  The  Judge  as  a  Ranchman  in  New 
Mexico 61 

The  famous  station  of  Mariveles  —  Description  of  the  harbor 

—  The  simple-minded  inhabitants  —  The  commodious  bar- 
racks built  by  the  Americans  —  An  attractive  seaside  resort 

—  The  Spanish  Junta  —  The  ceremony  of  Inspection  and  the 
silver  bait  —  The  legend  of  Mariveles  —  The  Fraile,  Monja, 
and  Corregidor  —  Cholera  in  Manila  —  Effect  on  the  Amer- 
ican fleet  —  Three  days'  additional  quarantine  —  Acquaint- 
ance with  the  Judge  —  His  self-supporting  cat  ranch  —  Why 
the  Judge  abandoned  his  ranch  —  A  high-class  typhoon  — 
Out  in  the  China  Sea. 

CHAPTER  VIII 

The  Ship's  Passenger  List 74 

The  Hong  Kong  chair  —  Our  passenger  list  —  A  few  of  our 
doughty  warriors  —  The  stunning  blonde  from  the  west  — 
The  Blinks  family  —  The  chic  bride  and  six  children  —  The 


CONTENTS  ix 

PAGE 

young  American  and  his  dusky  family  —  The  unhappy  soul- 
mate —  The  contented  trio  —  The  silent  squad  below  —  The 
English  idea  of  burial  abroad. 

CHAPTER  IX 

A  Brief  Sketch  of  Formosa 81 

A  pleasant  sail  up  the  coast  of  Luzon  —  The  tragedy  of 
Piedras  lighthouse  —  The  precipitous  cliffs  of  Formosa  — 
The  early  history  of  the  Island  —  Its  primitive  settlers  — 
How  the  Island  received  its  name  —  Under  the  control  of 
China  and  Japan  —  Spanish,  Portuguese,  and  Dutch  suprem- 
acy—  Under  the  French  —  The  treaty  of  Shimonoseki  — 
What  the  Japanese  are  doing  for  Formosa  —  The  flora  and 
fauna  of  the  Island  —  The  home  of  the  rose  and  Oolong  tea 

—  Principal  seaport  towns. 

CHAPTER  X 

Arrival  in  the  Harbor  of  Nagasaki 89 

The  chain  of  Loochoos  —  The  impatient  son  of  Mars  —  The 
death  of  the  merchant's  wife  —  Her  burial  at  sea  —  Approach 
to  Nagasaki  —  The  masked  batteries  along  the  bluffs  —  The 
quarantine  inspectors  —  Disappointment  of  Captain  J. —  His 
appeal  to  the  heartless  sons  of  Nippon  —  The  following  morn- 
ing—  Experiences  of  the  sterilizing  process  —  On  the  bluffs 
behind  the  station  —  Arrival  in  Nagasaki. 

CHAPTER  XI 

A  Sketch  of  Nagasaki 97 

Japanese  sampan  fleet  —  A  Japanese  gondolier  —  The  mod- 
ern sampan  —  Harbor  and  city  of  Nagasaki  —  Japanese  cus- 
tom officials  —  The  Island  of  Deshima  and  Dutch  merchants 

—  Nagasaki  hotels  —  The  nine  provinces  of  Kyushu  —  Area 
of  Kyushu  —  First  appearance  of  Jimmu  Tenno  —  Empress 
Jingo  Kogo  and  conquest  of  Korea  —  Her  son  Hachiman, 
the  God  of  War. 

CHAPTER  XII 

nobunaga,    hldeyoshi    and    letasu  —  the    persecution    of 
the  Romanists 104 

Persecutions  of  the  Catholics  of  Japan  —  Nobunaga,  Hideyo- 
shi  and  Ieyasu  —  The  battle  of  Sekigahara  —  Battle  of 
Osaka  —  Death  of  Hideyori  —  Arrival  of  Francis  Xavier  — 
Similarity  of  Buddhism  and  Romanism  —  Establishment  of 
Romanism  in  Japan  —  Departure  of  Francis  Xavier  —  Edicts 
of  1587,  1607  and  1614  —  Crucifixion  of  priests  —  Horrible 
persecutions  of  Native  Christians  —  Rebellion  of  Shimabara. 


x  CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  XIII 

_  _.  _  PAGE 

The  Beautiful  Environment  of  Nagasaki 118 

Japanese  ricksha-men  —  The  ricksha  of  the  East  —  Its  in- 
vention by  an  American  missionary  —  The  bronze  torii  and 
horse  —  The  annual  religious  festival  of  July  —  The  Moto- 
Kago-Machi  and  its  shops  —  The  fish-market  of  Nagasaki  — 
Coaling  steamers  —  Trip  to  Moji  —  The  waterfall  of  Kwan- 
non-no-taki  —  Peninsula  of  Shimabara  —  The  blind  mas- 
seurs—  The  disembodied  spirits  of  the  gulf  —  Massacre  of 
the  40,000  Christians  —  Japanese  railroads  and  trains  — 
Sleepers  and  buffets. 

CHAPTER  XIV 

Island  of  Kyushu  and  the  Satsuma  Rebellion 128 

Departure  for  Shimonoseki  —  Picturesque  scenery  along  the 
line  of  railway  —  Arita,  the  home  of  beautiful  porcelain  — 
Takeo  and  the  feudal  town  of  Saga  —  History  and  legends 
of  Kyushu  —  The  Satsuma  rebellion  —  Saigo  Takamori  as 
councillor  of  state  —  Growing  influence  of  foreigners  at 
court  —  Attack  on  Kumamoto  —  The  campaign  of  the  rebels 

—  Last  stand  of  Saigo  —  His  death  by  hara-Jciri  —  The  little 
cemetery  of  Kagoshima  —  Statue  of  Saigo  in  Ueno  Park, 
Tokio  —  Scenes  farther  north  —  Fukuoka,  Hakata,  and 
Okura  —  Arrival  at  Shimonoseki. 

CHAPTER  XV 

The  Shimonoseki  Affaib  —  Voyage  Through  the  Inland  Sea  138 
Arrival  at  Shimonoseki  —  The  Sanyo  Hotel  —  Shipping  point 
for  Korea,  Manchuria,  and  China  —  The  Shimonoseki  affair 

—  Conditions  in  Japan  at  the  time  —  Captain  David  Mc- 
Dougal  and  the  Wyoming  —  The  Dutch  frigate  Medusa  and 
the  Tancrede  —  Bombardment  by  the  allied  fleet  —  The  in- 
demnity of  $3,000,000  —  The  return  of  America's  share  — 
Battle  of  Dan-no-ura  —  Loss  of  the  Taira  host  —  The  Inland 
Sea  and  coast  defences. 

CHAPTER  XVI 

Origin  of  the  Japanese  Race 148 

Arrival  at  Kobe  —  Brief  visit  to  the  city  —  Origin  of  the 
Japanese  people  —  The  Kojiki  and  Nihonji,  the  Japanese 
bibles  —  Mythological  origin  of  the  people  —  Izanagi  and 
Izamagi,  the  Japanese  Adam  and  Eve  —  The  sun-goddess 
AmaWasu  —  Her  playful  little  brother — Amaterasu  retires 
to  her  cave  of  darkness  —  The  Ainos  —  Malays  from  Malay- 
sia—  The  Mongols  from  China  and  Korea. 


CONTENTS  xi 

CHAPTER  XVII 

FAGS 

A  Bibd's-ete  View  of  Yokohama. 158 

Arrival  in  Yokohama  —  The  principal  hotels  —  The  cele- 
brated bluffs  of  Yokohama  —  The  Japanese  merchants  and 
Chinese  tailors  —  Hunky-dory,  the  sailor's  resort  —  Yoko- 
hama a  fishing  village  in  1853  —  Mr.  Richardson  and  the 
bombardment  of  Kagoshima  —  Result  of  the  engagement  — 
Indemnity  of  $500,000  —  Escape  of  Mr.  Richardson's  mur- 
derer. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

Tktp  to  Kamakuba,  and  the  Great  Dai-Butsu 164 

Society  of  Yokohama  —  The  Britisher  in  the  Orient  —  His 
love  of  exercise  and  clubs  —  Mrs.  Weppner's  tribute  to  the 
Englishman  in  the  Orient  —  Visit  to  Kamakura  —  The  an- 
cient capital  —  Reign  of  Yoritomo  —  Murder  of  Sanetomo  — 
Temple  of  Kwannon  —  The  great  Dai-butsu  —  The  Island  of 
Enoshima  —  The  Goddess  Benten  and  the  Dragon  —  Glimpse 
of  Fuji. 


CHAPTER  XIX 

Down  the  Coast  op  Sag  ami  to  Yokosuka 172 

Down  the  coast  of  Sagami  —  Treaty  Point  —  Sugita  and  the 
Plum  Blossoms  —  The  Plains  of  Heaven  —  The  view  across 
Yedo  Bay  —  Kanazawa  the  True  and  Beautiful  —  Dyzuki 
Summer  Palace  of  the  Crown  Prince  —  Yokosuka,  the  dock- 
yard of  Japan  —  The  tomb  of  Will  Adams  —  The  dinner  at 
Kai-yo-ken  —  The  polyglot  Army  Engineers  —  Return  to  Yo- 
kohama. 


CHAPTER  XX 

From  Yokohama  to  Tokio  by  Ricksha 182 

From  Yokohama  to  Tokio  by  ricksha  —  The  old  Tokaido 
Highway  —  The  Temple  of  Kawasaki  —  The  Tokio  Race 
Club  —  The  manufacturing  section  of  Tokio  —  Murray's 
Guide  Book  —  The  official  guides  of  Japan  —  The  American 
Embassy  —  Shiba  Park  and  the  Temple  of  Zojoji  —  The 
mausolea  of  the  Shoguns  —  Temple  of  Benten  —  The  Shrine 
of  Tema  —  The  Maple  Club  and  Saint  Andrew's  Church. 


xii  CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  XXI 

PAGE 

Sightseeing  in  Old  Yedo 191 

Hibiya,  the  Park  of  Recreation  —  Baseball,  Tennis  and  Foot- 
ball —  Kudan  Hill  and  the  Patriot's  Shrine  —  Museum  of 
Arms  —  The  Emperor's  Palace  —  Simple  life  of  the  Mikado 
—  The  House  of  Parliament  —  University  and  educational 
institutions  of  Japan  —  Ueno  Park  and  Public  Museum  — 
Asakusa  Park,  the  Bowery  of  Tokio  —  The  Yoshiwara,  the 
Palace  of  Vice — Spring  Hill  Cemetery  and  the  Forty-seven 
Ronin. 

CHAPTER  XXII 

The  Stoey  of  the  Forty-Seven  Ronin 202 

The  dual  government  —  Lords  Kira,  Ako  and  Sama  —  The 
Royal  Envoy  from  Kioto  —  Lord  Kira's  insult  —  Lord  Ako's 
attack  —  Death  of  Lord  Ako  —  Petition  to  the  Shogun  —  The 
Ronin's  resolve  —  Three  weary  years  of  waiting  —  The  at- 
tack on  Lord  Kira's  castle  and  his  death  —  Ceremonies  at 
Spring  Hill  Cemetery  —  Silence  and  death  of  the  Ronin. 

CHAPTER  XXIII 

"Ntk-ko  and  Lake  Chuzenji 213 

Visit  to  Nik-ko  —  Avenue  of  Cryptomerias  leading  to  the 
tomb  —  Villages  of  Hachi-ishi  and  Iri-machi  —  Hotels  of 
Nik-ko  —  The  Daiya-gawa  and  the  Sacred  Bridge  —  Shodo 
Shonin  and  the  Bridge  of  Snakes  —  Choy-o-kwan  and  the 
Rin-no-ji  —  The  Torii  and  the  Pagoda  —  The  First  Court  and 
the  Monkeys  of  Nik-ko  —  The  Second  Court  and  the  Great 
Bell  —  The  Gate  of  Yomei-mon  and  Third  Court  —  The  Kara- 
mon  Gate  and  the  "  Holy  of  Holies " —  The  famous  Ele- 
phants and  sleeping  Cat  —  The  tomb  of  Ieyasu  —  Trip  to 
Lake  Chuzenji  —  The  Fifty  Images  of  Amida  —  The  white- 
robed  pilgrims  —  Scenes  along  the  mountain  road  —  Mount 
Nan-tai-zan  and  Lake  Chuzenji  —  Yomoto  and  its  copper- 
stained  lake  —  Return  to  Nik-ko. 

CHAPTER  XXTV 

Brief  Sketch  of  Japanese  History 227 

Sketch  of  Japanese  history  —  Largely  mythological  in  char- 
acter—  The  Ainos  and  Pit  Dwellers  —  Jimmu  Tenno,  the 
first  Mikado  —  Emperor  Sujin,  father  of  Agriculture  —  Em- 
press Jingo  and  her  son  Ojin  —  Prince  Shotoku  and  Bud- 
dhism —  Feudalism  and  the  Fujiwaras  —  Kiyomori,  Yoshi- 
tomo  and  Yoritomo  —  Tokiwa  and  her  son  Yoshitsune  — 
Yoritomo  the  first  Shogun  —  Capital  at  Kamakura. 


CONTENTS  xiii 

CHAPTER  XXV 

PAGE 

Brief  Sketch  of  Japanese  History  —  Continued    ....  238 
The  Tairas  and  Minamotos  —  Yoshitsune  and  Munemori  — 
The  naval  engagement  of  Dan-no-ura  —  The  dual  government 

—  Death  of  Yoritomo  —  Elevation  of  the  Hojo  family  — 
Defeat  of  Kublai  Khan  —  Masashige  and  Nitta  Yoshisada  — 
The  Ashikaga  family  —  The  introduction  of  Nobunaga, 
Hideyoshi,  and  Ieyasu  —  The  Tokugawa  Dynasty  —  Arrival 
of  Commodore  Perry  —  First  treaty  with  the  United  States 

—  Surrender  of  Feudalism  and  the  Satsuma  Rebellion  — 
War  with  China  and  acquisition  of  Formosa. 

CHAPTER  XXVI 

The  Three  Classic  Beauties  of  Japan 251 

Matsushima  and  the  Sacred  Island  of  Kin-kwa-zan  —  Ishin- 
o-maki  Bay  and  the  Fantastic  Archipelago  —  The  tame  deer 
of  Kin-kwa-zan  —  Amo-no-Hashidate  and  the  Pine  Clad  Dune 

—  Miyajima,  the  Sacred  Isle  of  the  Inland  Sea  —  The  Moun- 
tain District  of  Hakone  —  The  Odawara  Conference  —  Myan- 
oshita  and  the  Fujiya  Hotel  —  The  Maiden's  Pass  —  Go- 
temba  and  Subashira  —  Ascent  of  Fujiyama  —  The  Goddess 
Fuji-sen-gen  —  The  eruptions  of  Fuji  —  Trip  to  Lake  Ha- 
kone—  The  Soga  Brethren  and  Tora  Gozen  —  The  Legend  of 
the  Bowlder  on  Kama-yama  —  The  Ten  Province  Pass  — 
Ojigoku,  the  Big  Hell  —  Return  to  Yokohama. 

CHAPTER  XXVII 

The  Boxer  Trouble  of  1900  in  China  and  Naval  Engage- 
ments during  the  Russo-Japanese  Wab  of  1904-5  .  .  263 
The  Boxer  Trouble  —  Murder  of  the  German  Minister  and 
Japanese  Secretary  —  The  Peking  Compact  —  Baron  Komura 
and  Count  Lamsdorff  —  The  Declaration  of  War  —  Departure 
of  Togo  for  Port  Arthur  —  Sinking  of  the  Koreyetz  and 
Variag  at  Chemulpo  —  The  Rendezvous  at  Elliott  Island  — 
Night  attack  of  the  Flotilla  on  Port  Arthur  —  Injury  to 
the  Tzarevitch,  Revitsan,  and  Pallada  —  Togo's  attack  the 
following  morning  —  Blockading  the  harbor  —  The  destruc- 
tion of  Rodjestvensky's  fleet. 

CHAPTER  XXVIII 

Land  Engagements  of  the  Japanese  Army  During  the  Russo- 
Japanese  Wab 275 

Organization  of  the  Japanese  Army  —  Strength  of  the  Rus- 
sian Army  —  Battle  of  the  Yalu  —  Kuroki  marches  north  — 
The    Battle   of    Motienling    Pass  —  Arrival    of   the    Second 


xiv  CONTENTS 

PAGE 

Army  under  General  Oku  —  The  Battle  of  Nan  Shan  — 
Battles  of  Tehlisz,  Kaiping,  Newchwang  and  Taihihkao  — 
Arrival  of  the  Fourth  Army  under  General  Nodzu  —  Bat- 
tles of  Fenshuiling  and  Tomucheng — Siege  of  Liaoyang  and 
retreat  of  the  Russians  —  Battle  of  the  Sha-ho  —  The  siege 
of  Port  Arthur  under  General  Nogi  —  Battle  of  Mukden  — 
Negotiations  for  peace  —  Meeting  at  Portsmouth,  New  Hamp- 
shire—  Terms  of  the  agreement  —  Conclusion  of  peace  — 
Dissatisfaction  in  Japan  and  Russia  —  Kuropatkin's  sum- 
mary of  causes  leading  to  Russian  reverses  —  The  real 
causes  —  Japanese  casualties  during  the  War. 

CHAPTER  XXIX 

JOUBNEY  FROM  YOKOHAMA  TO  KlOTO 287 

The  American  fleet  in  Yokohama  —  The  departure  for  Kioto 

—  The  old  admiral  and  the  native  lunch  —  The  Tokaido  and 
Nakasendo  Highways  —  Oiso,  Kozu,  and  Gotemba  —  Mio-no- 
Matsubara  and  the  drama  of  the  Robe  of  Feathers  —  Kuno- 
zan  and  the  tomb  of  Ieyasu  —  Nagoya,  the  Capital  of 
Owari  —  The  Old  Castle  —  Atsuta  and  the  Temple  of  the 
Sacred  Sword  —  The  Seto  Potteries  —  The  Nagoya  Hotel  and 
Japanese  maids  —  Gifu  and  cormorant  fishing  —  Seki-ga- 
hara  and  head  mounds  —  Arrival  in  Kioto. 

CHAPTER  XXX 

Kioto,  the  Heabt  of  Old  Japan 302 

Arrival  in  Kioto  —  Hotels  for  Tourists  —  The  Old  Palace  — 
The  Nijo  Castle  —  The  Nishi  and  Higashi  Hongwanji  Tem- 
ples—  The  Silver  and  Gold  Pavilions  —  The  Katsura  Sum- 
mer Palace  —  The  Shimo  Gamo  Temple  —  Tai-kyoku-den  Pal- 
ace —  The  Monastery  of  Chion-in  —  The  famous  Dai-butsu  — 
The  1000  Image  Temple  of  Kwannon  —  Shooting  the  Hodzu 
Rapids  —  Lake  Biwa  and  the  Eight  Classic  Beauties  —  The 
Geisha  Dance. 

CHAPTER  XXXI 

Naba,  the  Ancient  Capital  of  Dai-Nippon 321 

Departure  for  Nara  —  Tea  District  of  Uji  —  Japan's  Ther- 
mopylae—  The  Ancient  Capital  of  Nara  and  the  modern 
city  —  Yamato,  the  cradle  of  Japan  —  The  Mounds  and 
Dolmens  of  its  ancient  rulers  —  The  avenues  and  roads  of 
the  Park  —  Sacred  bands  of  deer  —  Temples  and  museums 

—  The  Kagura  dance  —  The  crumbling  temples  of  the  Plain 

—  The  Horyuji  —  Osaka,  the  Chicago  of  Japan  —  A  modern 
Japanese  banquet  —  The  sights  of  the  city  —  The  old  Castle 
and  Tennoji  Temple  —  Osaka  by  gaslight. 


CONTENTS  xv 


CHAPTER  XXXII 

FACE 

The  Shinto  Religion  —  Arrival  of  the  Christian  Mission- 
aries  337 

From  Osaka  to  Kobe  —  Native  beef  and  sake*  —  The  Shinto 
Religion  —  Its  Gods  and  Fetichism  —  Ancestor  worship  on 
Kudan  Hill  —  Togo's  speech  to  the  spirits  of  his  dead  sailors 

—  Teachings  of  Shintoism  —  Early  Roman  Church  in  Japan 

—  The  advent  of  Protestantism  —  Doctors  Hepburn,  Brown, 
and  Verbeck  —  The  work  of  missionaries  in  the  Orient  — 
Statistics  of  Christianity  in  Japan  —  Altruism  of  American 
missionaries  in  the  Orient  and  Far  East. 

CHAPTER  XXXIII 

The  Arrival  and  Histoet  of  Buddhism 351 

Condition  of  Japan  on  the  arrival  of  Buddhism  —  Develop- 
ment of  the  country  under  Buddhistic  influences  —  Condition 
of  the  Philippines  during  this  period  —  Birth  and  early  life 
of  Buddha  —  His  mother  —  The  Renunciation  —  His  life  in 
the  Wilderness  —  Enlightenment  and'  Temptation  —  The 
Four  Principles  —  Cardinals  for  the  guidance  of  mankind  — 
Monasteries  and  monks  —  Buddha's  moral  code  —  Buddhistic 
creation  of  the  world  —  Transplantation  of  Buddhism  to 
Japan  —  Arrival  of  Confucianism  —  Riyobu,  or  mixed  Bud- 
dhism. 

CHAPTER  XXXIV 

Kobe  and  Envtbonment  —  Traits  of  Japanese  Women  .  .  .361 
The  Ancient  Capital  Hyogo  —  The  sea-port  town  Kobe  —  The 
Temple  of  Ikuta  —  A  christening  ceremony  —  The  Sacred 
Dice  Box  —  The  Waterfalls  of  Nunobiki  —  The  environment 
of  Kobe  —  Mr.  Wilkinson's  lawsuit  —  Himeji,  Okayama,  and 
Fukuyama  —  The  kaleidoscope  of  the  Royal  Highway  —  A 
Japanese  bride  and  groom  —  A  few  traits  of  Japanese  women 

—  Their  homes  and  housekeeping  —  The  five  maladies  which 
affect  the  female  mind  in  Japan  —  Stories  illustrative  of 
their  character. 

CHAPTER  XXXV 

The   Japanese   Army   and   Navy  —  The    Sacred    Island   of 

Japan  —  Adios 375 

The  great  Naval  Arsenal  at  Kure  —  Plant  for  guns  and  ar- 
mor-plate —  The  Japanese  Navy  —  Preparation  of  Naval 
Officers  —  The  Naval  College  on  the  Island  of  Etajima  —  The 
Japanese  Army  —  Reserves,  Landwehr,  and  Landsturm  — 
The  education  and  appointment  of  Army  Officers  —  Compar- 


xvi  CONTENTS 

PAGE 

ison  with  the  American  Army  and  Navy  —  Hiroshima,  the 
great  military  station  of  Japan  —  The  Methodist  Mission 
and  College  —  Hotels  and  restaurants  —  Approach  to  Miya- 
jima  —  The  Sacred  Temple  and  Torii  —  The  Iwaso  Hotel 
and  nesan  attendants  —  A  hero  of  Port  Arthur  —  The  un- 
happy widow  —  Arrival  in  Shimonoseki  —  Farewell  to  Japan. 

Appendix 393 

With  routes  and  cost  of  travel  from  the  United  States  to  the 
Orient  and  Far  East. 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

PAGS 

Fujiyama,  from  the  sea-shobe  near  Dzushi,  Japan    Frontispiece 

Filipino  cababao  cabt  and  driver 10 

Native  Filipino  cabt,  Bautista,  Pangasinan,  Philippines  .  11 

Pueblo  chubch,  Calasiao,  Philippines 16 

Native  Filipino  house,  of  the  betteb  class,  used  as  abmy 

hospital  dubing  insurrection 17 

Igobot  village,  Bontoc  Pbovince,  Philippines 22 

Igobot  band,  Pbovince  of  Benguet,  Philippines 23 

Chubch  bell  of  Balangiga,  Samab,  Philippines,  tolled  by 

the  pabish  pbtest  as  the  signal  fob  the  massacbe  of 

Company  C,  Ninth  Infantby 26 

The  Abmy  Club,  Camp  McKinley,  neab  Manila 27 

Fobt  Santiago  and  Anda  monument,  Manila. 27 

Amebican  soldiebs  in  the  Philippines  washing  theib  clothes 

dubing  the  days  of  the  insurrection 32 

Igobot  men,  Pbovince  of  Benguet,  Philippines 33 

Igobot  women,  Pbovince  of  Benguet,  Philippines    ....  33 

MAJOR-GENERAL  ABTHUB  MacAbTHUB  AND   STAFF,   AT  HEADQUAB- 

ters  of  Second  Division,  Eighth  Army  Corps,  Bautista, 

dubing  the  Philippine  Insubbection 36 

Membebs  fibst  boabd  of  health  organized  for  the  Philippine 

Islands  by  the  Amebican  Govebnment 37 

Abchbishop's  palace  and  Augustinian  monasteby,  Walled 

City,  Manila 42 

Cathedral  and  convent  of  San  Fernando,  Province  Pam- 

panga,  Philippines,  bubned  dubing  Filipino  Insubrection  43 
Filipino  cart  used  as  mail  wagon  during  the  Insurrection  46 
Filipino  house,  Calapan,  Island  of  Mindora,  Philippines     .     46 

xvii 


xviii  ILLUSTRATIONS 

PAGE 

Old  Orhcnte  Hotel,  Manila,  now  headquarters  of  Insular 

Constabulary 47 

Church  and  convent,  Binmaley,  Philippines 52 

Mobo  boys  waiting  to  dive  fob  coins,  Zamboango,  Mindanao  53 
Practising  for  a  chicken  fight,  the  national  sport  of  the 

Filipinos G2 

Carabao  team  drawing  timber  from  the  forests  of  Tarlac 

Pbovince 63 

Pbovincial  types  of  Filipinos 68 

Gboup  of  native  boys,  Bautista,  Philippines 69 

Filipino  mestizo,  Manila 76 

Gboup  of  Filipino  sistebs,  Bautista,  Pangasinan  ....  77 
First  legal  execution  in  the  Philippines  under  the  Amer- 
ican Government,  San  Carlos,  Province  of  Pangasinan  .  84 
Huts  of  Tagbanuas,  Island  of  Linapacan,  Philippines  .  .  85 
Among  the  southebn  islands  in  the  Philippines  ....  94 
Stone  lantebns  and  torii,  Sacred  Island,  Japan  ....  95 
Famous  torii,  Sacred  Island  of  Miyajima,  Japan  ....     95 

View  of  Fujiyama  from  Enoshima,  Japan 106 

Fujiyama,  from  shore  neab  Kamakuba,  Japan 106 

Entrance  to  Kasuga  Temple,  Nara,  Japan 107 

Cbyptomeria   road,   Nik-ko:    trees  planted  three   hundred 
years  ago 107 

KORAKUYEN   PARK,   OkAYAMA,   JAPAN 122 

Temple  Pagoda,  Osaka,  Japan 123 

Firing  28  cm.  howitzer  at  Russian  fleet,  in  harbor  of  Port 

Arthur,  Manchuria 132 

Monument  to  Japanese  dead,  Port  Arthur,  Manchuria  .     .   133 

Entrance  to  the  Kasuga  Temple,  Nara,  Japan 144 

Kegon  Falls,  outlet  to  Lake  Chuzenji,  near  Nik-ko,  Japan  .  145 

Japanese  artist  sketching  from  nature 160 

Japanese  maid  preparing  dinner 161 

Russian  dead  on  200  Metre  Hill,  Port  Arthur,  Manchuria  .  176 
Explosion  of  Fort  Er-lung-shan,  Port  Arthur,  Manchuria  .  177 
Cormorant  fishing  on  the  Nagara  River,  Gipi,  Japan  .  .198 


ILLUSTRATIONS  xix 

PAGE 

Nagoya  Castle,  Province  of  Owabi,  Japan 199 

Saceed  bridge  of  Nik-ko,  Japan 220 

Temple  of  Kitano  Tenjin,  Kyoto 221 

Sacred  island  of  Enoshima,  Japan 242 

Kameido  Temple  of  Tenjin,  Tokio,  Japan 243 

Nunobiki  Falls,  Kobe,  Japan 264 

Mountain  scenery,  Miyanoshita,  Japan 264 

Government  Mint  Park,  Osaka,  Japan 265 

Ikuta  Temple,  Kobe,  Japan 265 

203  Metre  Hill,  Port  Arthur,  Manchuria 290 

Removal  of  the  dead  from  East  Kik-wan-shan  Fort,  Port 

Arthur,  Manchuria 291 

"  See  no  evil,  speak  no  evil,  hear  no  evil" 316 

Famous  carved  monkeys,  by  Hid  art  Jingoro,  Nik-ko,  Japan  .  316 
Interior  of  Temple  of  Mats,  Sacred  Island,  Japan,  decorated 

with  wooden  rice  spoons 317 

Castle  at  Osaka,  Japan 317 

Japanese  house  maids 338 

Japanese  mother  teaching  her  child 339 

motomachi-dori  street,  kobe,  japan 356 

Street  scene,  Tokio,  Japan 356 

Explosion  of  Fort  Sung-shu-shan,  Port  Arthur,  Manchuria  357 

Japanese  woman  of  the  wealthy  class 370 

Sacred  temple,  Miyajima,  Japan 371 

Hachiman  Temple,  Kamakura,  Japan 371 

Famous  Dai-butsu  of  Kamakura,  Japan 386 

Donjon,  wall,  and  moat,  Castle  of  Osaka,  Japan  ....  387 


PREFACE 

While  on  duty  in  the  Philippine  Islands,  during  my  last 
tour  of  service,  in  company  with  an  army  officer  the 
writer  made  a  journey  through  Japan,  Korea,  Manchuria, 
and  China.  Careful  notes  were  prepared  during  the  trip 
with  a  view  to  their  publication  in  the  form  of  an  itinerary 
through  the  countries  mentioned. 

Before  half  of  the  present  volume  was  completed  I  dis- 
covered that  it  would  be  impossible  to  encompass  under 
one  cover  all  the  countries  visited,  so  have  reserved  an 
account  of  my  visit  to  Korea,  Manchuria,  and  China  for 
future  publication,  provided  sufficient  encouragement  in 
the  circulation  of  the  present  work  warrants  it. 

In  order  to  add  to  the  usefulness  of  the  book,  special 
chapters  have  been  inserted  relating  to  the  Philippine  In- 
surrection of  1896-7,  Formosa  Island,  the  origin  of  the 
Japanese  race,  the  Shinto  and  Buddhist  religions,  per- 
secutions of  the  Romanists  during  the  seventeenth  century 
and  a  historical  sketch  of  Japan,  including  the  War  with 
China,  the  Boxer  Trouble  of  1900,  and  the  Russo-Japan- 
ese War  of  1904  -  5. 

In  conclusion  I  desire  to  express  grateful  acknowledg- 
ments for  the  valuable  assistance  received  from  the  works 
of  the  following  authors  on  Japan  and  the  Russo-Japanese 
War:  Basil  H.  Chamberlain,  David  Murray,  William 
Elliot  Griffis,  Lafcadio  Hearn,  Sir  Edward  J.  Reed,  Engel- 
bert  Kaempfer,  Ernest  W.  Clement,  Arthur  Lloyd,  Gaston 
Migeon,  O.  E.  Wood,  Thomas  Cowen,  General  Kuropatkin 
and  a  host  of  other  interesting  writers. 

L.  M.  M. 

CHICAGO,  ILLINOIS, 
August,  1911. 


XXI 


AN  ARMY  OFFICER  ON   LEAVE 
IN  JAPAN 


CHAPTER  I 
FROM  SAN  FRANCISCO  TO  MANILA 

The  Lobby  op  the  Palace  Hotel  —  Despatch  from 
Washington  —  Across  the  Lonesome  Pacific  —  Ar- 
rival in  Manila  —  Its  Commercial  Activity  and  Ad- 
vantages—  Drive  through  the  Busy  Metropolis  — 
Quaint  Scenes  on  the  Street  —  Our  Little  Brown 
Brother  and  Wild  Cousin  from  the  Mountains  — 
arrival  at  the  club  and  introduction  to  the  major 
and  the  Judge  —  Tiffin  and  the  Piece-de-resistance. 

I  HAD  just  finished  my  af f  T-breakf ast  cigar  and  was 
awaiting  a  friend  in  the  lobby  of  the  Palace  Hotel, 
San  Francisco,  one  morning  last  August,  when  my  atten- 
tion was  attracted  by  a  telegraph  boy  who  approached  me 
with  the  familiar  yellow  envelope  of  the  Western  Union. 
It  contained  a  despatch  from  Washington  directing  me  to 
proceed  by  the  first  available  transportation  to  Manila,  on 
important  business  connected  with  the  Government,  adding 
that  full  instructions  had  been  forwarded  by  mail. 

I  had  occupied  an  important  position  in  the  National 
Bureau  of  Commerce  since  its  organization,  and  imme- 
diately concluded  from  this  unexpected  order  that  Congress 
desired  more  specific  information  concerning  the  status  of 
trade  in  the  Philippines,  and  was  anxious  to  learn  what 
1  [1] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

influence  extended  commerce  might  wield  in  the  promo- 
tion of  peace  among  our  Oriental  neighbors. 

My  orders  were  mandatory  and  I  was  to  leave  with  the 
least  possible  delay.  The  duties  connected  with  the  mis- 
sion would  consume  at  least  four  months,  which  barely 
gave  me  time  to  return  to  Washington  to  submit  my  re- 
port before  the  assembling  of  Congress  in  December. 

The  steamship  Manchuria,  belonging  to  the  Pacific  Mail, 
was  to  sail  in  a  few  days,  and  after  'phoning  for  a  reserva- 
tion, which  I  was  fortunate  enough  to  secure  at  that  late 
date,  I  began  my  hasty  preparations  for  the  long  voyage 
across  the  boundless,  restless  and  sun-scorched  Pacific. 

Before  leaving  San  Francisco  my  friends  provided  me 
with  several  letters  of  introduction  to  civil  and  military 
officials  in  Manila,  among  which  were  cards  to  an  army 
officer  and  a  member  of  the  Insular  Judiciary,  whom  I 
shall  introduce  as  the  Major  and  the  Judge  and  with 
whom  I  passed  three  of  the  most  pleasant  and  instructive 
months  of  my  life  while  journeying  through  interesting 
and  quaint  Japan,  Korea,  Manchuria,  and  China. 

I  was  especially  fortunate  in  securing  the  companion- 
ship of  these  two  gentlemen,  not  only  because  they  were 
charming  travelling  comrades  but  on  account  of  their 
knowledge  of  the  countries  through  which  we  passed.  The 
Major  had  been  on  duty  with  the  Chinese  Relief  Expe- 
dition during  the  Boxer  troubles  in  1901,  and  with  Kuroki  's 
army  in  Korea  and  Manchuria  until  the  conclusion  of  peace 
at  Portsmouth  a  year  later. 

I  will  not  tire  my  readers  with  the  details  of  the  tedious 
voyage  across  the  Pacific,  which  is  perhaps  the  most  lone- 
some ocean  on  the  face  of  the  earth,  but  will  tarry  long 
enough  to  say  that  its  name,  given  it  by  Magellan,  is  well 
merited,  except  that  he  should  have  added  "and  monoto- 
nous," for  during  the  entire  trip  we  never  encountered 
a  single  ship.  We  sailed  out  of  the  Golden  Gate  one 
bright  morning  a  few  days  after  the  receipt  of  my  orders, 
making  the  usual  stops  at  Honolulu,  Yokohama,  and  Kobe 

[2] 


FROM   SAN  FRANCISCO  TO  MANILA 

before  reaching  Hong  Kong,  where  I  secured  passage  on 
the  steamship  Ruby  for  Manila,  which  port  we  reached 
three  days  later. 

The  formalities  with  the  customs  officials  being  over  at 
the  office  of  the  Captain  of  the  Port,  I  secured  the  services 
of  a  carromato,  a  jaunty  little  two-wheeled  native  cart, 
and  proceeded  at  once  to  the  Army  and  Navy  Club,  where 
I  was  informed  that  I  would  most  likely  find  my  army 
and  judicial  friends. 

The  visitor  for  the  first  time  entering  the  harbor  of 
Manila,  will  be  surprised  at  the  commercial  bustle  and 
activity  with  which  he  is  surrounded.  He  will  soon  ap- 
preciate the  fact  that  this  historic  sea-port  is  destined  to 
become  the  great  Oriental  distributing  centre  of  the  world 's 
commodities,  especially  for  America's  manufactured  prod- 
ucts and  goods,  and  perhaps  wonder  at  the  death-like 
lethargy  which  exists  in  the  American  mind  at  home  rel- 
ative to  the  trading  opportunities  of  the  Orient.  Amer- 
icans have  gone  to  sleep  over  this  question ;  they  have  been 
lulled  into  a  profound  hypnotic  state  which  may  know 
no  awakening  until  England,  Germany,  Russia,  and  Japan 
have  irrevocably  welded  together  the  links  in  the  chain 
of  commercial  exclusion  to  the  vast  markets  which  America 
some  day  will  demand. 

The  drive  from  the  custom-house  to  the  club  in  the 
walled  city  was  strange  and  interesting.  Amid  the  busy 
marts  leading  up  the  Calle  San  Fernando  to  the  Plaza 
Capitan  de  la  Barca  stands  the  picturesque  old  church  and 
convent  of  Binondo  and  the  famous  hostelry,  the  Oriente, 
now  the  home  of  the  Insular  Constabulary. 

Along  this  busy  street  one  passes  a  veritable  kaleidoscopic 
stream  of  heterogeneous  humanity  and  sees  for  the  first 
time  his  little  brown  brother  attired  in  stiff  shirt-front, 
derby,  and  patent  leathers,  and  his  wild  cousin  from  the 
mountains  who  passes  along  smilingly  unmindful  of  his 
scanty  breech  clout  and  raiment,  which  consists  otherwise 
simply  of  the  blue  canopy  of  Heaven.    Nor  will  he  fail  to 

[3] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

note  Chinese  coolies  with  toad-stool  hats  of  plaited  bam- 
boo strips,  swinging  along  at  a  shambling  dog-trot,  car- 
rying suspended  across  their  shoulders  baskets  laden  with 
vegetables,  pottery,  or  pinoche;  opulent  Celestials  clothed 
in  lavender  and  rose-colored  silk,  scurrying  along  in  hand- 
some carromatos  drawn  by  spirited  ponies  from  Batangas ; 
skirted  Cingalese  with  their  wealth  of  hair  coiffeured  a  la 
femme;  bare-headed  maidens,  mestizo  and  native,  arrayed 
in  trailing  jusi  skirts,  pina  waists,  and  velveteen  or  gold- 
embroidered  chenelas;  black-gowned  and  sandalled  friars, 
American  soldiers  in  khaki,  Europeans  of  all  nationalities, 
and  conveyances  of  every  conceivable  kind. 

The  effect  of  the  picture  is  enhanced  by  the  large, 
wooden-wheeled  carts  drawn  by  carabao,  or  water-buffalo, 
moving  along  so  slowly  that  one  wonders  whether  both 
animal  and  driver  were  not  indulging  in  the  afternoon 
siesta,  a  daily  custom  with  every  one  living  in  the 
tropics. 

After  driving  through  Calle  Rosario,  the  Chinese  quarter 
of  retail  trade,  and  passing  by  Clarke's  and  the  Paris- 
Manila,  we  crossed  the  Bridge  of  Spain  and  found  ourselves 
facing  the  frowning  walls  of  old  Manila,  the  ancient  home 
of  plot,  intrigue,  and  eternal  wrong. 

Leaving  the  Botanical  Garden  on  the  left  and  passing 
the  square  containing  that  insignificant  and  disgraceful 
monument  in  commemoration  of  the  great  navigator  and 
discoverer,  Ferdinand  Magellan,  I  passed  quickly  through 
the  Parian  gate  and  shortly  found  myself  at  the  entrance 
of  the  Army  and  Navy  Club. 

This  club,  which  combines  the  qualities  of  hotel,  casino, 
library,  and  assembly  hall,  may  be  regarded  as  the  centre 
of  Manila's  social  life.  It  is  located  in  a  large,  handsome, 
one-story,  stuccoed  building  occupying  the  larger  half  of 
the  square  between  Calle  Cabildo,  Palacio,  and  Santa 
Potenciana  and  was  originally  constructed  for  Spanish 
engineer  officers.  The  interior  space  is  occupied  by  a  patio 
or  garden  elaborately  ornamented  with  bordered  walks, 

[4] 


FROM   SAN  FRANCISCO  TO  MANILA 

flowering  shrubs,  and  plants,  handsome  palms,  and  shade 
trees. 

My  arrival  at  the  club  proved  to  be  well  timed  indeed, 
for  I  had  reached  there  at  the  noon  hour,  the  most  popular 
period  of  the  day.  Manila  is  not  only  the  seat  of  the  Civil 
Government,  but  the  headquarters  of  the  Army  of  the  Phil- 
ippines as  well,  and  noon  is  the  hour  of  tiffin. 

Good  fortune  had  followed  me  on  leaving  the  Golden 
Gate,  had  continued  across  the  placid  waters  of  the  great 
ocean,  and,  within  an  hour  after  debarkation  in  Manila 
harbor,  had  inducted  me  into  the  presence  of  my  newly 
made  friends,  the  Major  and  the  Judge,  whom  I  found 
comfortably  seated  in  a  shady  nook  of  the  patio  discussing 
the  cooling  virtues  of  a  well-iced  glass  of  King  William  the 
Fourth  and  "Watson  soda. 

"We  are  most  happy  to  meet  you,  Mr.  Rhodes,"  said 
the  Major;  "I  speak  both  for  the  Judge  and  myself; 
please  be  seated  and  join  us." 

The  Major  pressed  an  electric  bell  conveniently 
suspended  above  the  table,  which  was  promptly  answered 
by  a  Chinese  waiter  in  immaculate  white.  "Boy,  take 
Mr.  Rhodes'  order."  He  added  later,  "I  am  glad  to  see 
that  you  have  ordered  the  beverage  of  the  tropics,  Scotch 
and  soda,  for  our  English  cousins  inform  us  that  red 
whiskey  is  rank  poison  out  here  and  I  am  inclined  to  be- 
lieve they  are  half  right." 

"During  your  stay  in  Manila  I  hope  you  will  accept 
the  hospitality  of  the  club,"  said  the  Judge,  "for  I  am 
sorry  to  state  that  the  hotels  of  Manila  are  far  from 
satisfactory.  The  Oriente,  the  only  comfortable  place  in 
the  city,  was  sold  for  constabulary  offices  a  few  years  ago, 
but  I  understand  the  Civil  Government  intends  to  appro- 
priate a  half  million  pesos  to  construct  a  modern  hotel 
which  will  be  leased  to  some  enterprising  company." 

"Thank  you,  gentlemen,  for  the  kind  invitation  which  I 
accept  with  pleasure, ' '  I  replied,  ' '  but  I  am  sorry  to  state 
that  I  will  be  unable  to  spend  more  than  a  few  days  here 

[5] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

as  I  have  orders  to  make  a  hasty  visit  to  Japan,  China, 
and  neighboring  countries  before  returning  to  the  States. 
You  are  aware,  no  doubt,  that  Congress  has  been  investi- 
gating the  commercial  conditions  of  the  Philippines  and 
trade  relationship  with  our  neighbors.  I  must  return  to 
Washington  early  in  December  with  my  report." 

"So  you  are  going  to  visit  Japan  and  China?"  asked 
the  Major. 

"Yes,  and  possibly  Korea  and  Manchuria  as  well.  You 
are  aware  that  there  has  been  considerable  agitation  in 
Europe  and  America  over  the  aggressive  policy  of  Japan 
in  those  two  countries,  especially  with  regard  to  railroad 
control. ' ' 

"That  is  fortunate  indeed,"  replied  the  Major,  "for 
my  friend  the  Judge  and  I  have  arranged  a  trip  through 
those  very  countries,  and  expect  to  sail  for  Nagasaki  on 
the  transport  leaving  the  fifteenth,  which  is  next  "Wednes- 
day. Can  you  not  complete  your  business  in  time  to  ac- 
company us?  As  an  official  of  the  Government  you  are 
entitled  to  transportation  and,  if  you  decide  to  go  with 
us,  it  will  afford  me  pleasure  to  secure  a  cabin  for  you. ' ' 

"Indeed,  gentlemen,  this  proposition  is  not  only  agree- 
able but  flattering  and  nothing  would  afford  me  greater 
pleasure.    I  will  certainly  endeavor  to  join  you." 

"In  any  case,  Mr.  Rhodes,  I  would  advise  you  to  take 
a  turn  around  the  city  before  you  leave,"  remarked  the 
Judge,  "and  if  you  find  time  to  do  so,  it  would  afford  the 
Major  and  myself  pleasure  to  be  your  escorts.  You  will 
find  that  Manila  is  filled  with  both  historic  interest  and 
sad  memories." 

Tiffin  was  now  announced,  a  word  in  general  use  for  the 
mid-day  meal  throughout  the  entire  Orient,  especially  in 
British  colonies.  One  really  has  to  visit  the  tropics  to 
fully  enjoy  the  piece-de-resistance  of  every  bill  of  fare, 
whether  it  be  breakfast,  tiffin,  or  dinner,  which  is  curry  and 
rice.  There  lives  no  French  chef  who  can  prepare  this 
delightful  dish  with  the  same  consummate  skill  as   the 

[6] 


FROM  SAN  FRANCISCO  TO  MANILA 

Oriental,  nor  is  there  any  land  or  clime  where  it  is  more 
suitable  or  acceptable  than  the  Far  East. 

With  the  steaming  pearly  rice  and  well-seasoned  dish  of 
curry,  comes  a  many-partitioned  platter  containing  red 
and  white  chutney,  both  sweet  and  sour,  grated  cocoanut, 
vinegared  miniature  onions,  ground  toasted  peanuts, 
minced  hard-boiled  eggs,  pickles  of  various  kinds,  and  a 
dozen  other  delicate  condiments  and  relishes  which  add 
zest  and  seductiveness  to  the  stimulating  qualities  of  this 
prince  of  all  Oriental  bills  of  fare. 

Although  less  than  two  years  have  passed  away  since  my 
return  from  the  Far  East,  I  have  travelled  through  many 
lands  and  partaken  of  their  national  dishes.  I  have 
feasted  to  satiety  upon  the  Dutch  viz  tavel  of  Java,  the 
popular  rassulnick  of  Russia,  the  spicy  goulasch  of  Hun- 
gary, the  far-reaching  kraut  and  Frankfurters  of  the 
Fatherland,  the  savory  spaghetti  of  Italy,  the  much-be- 
loved pot-a-feu  of  La  Belle  France,  the  muscle-making 
roast-beef  and  plum-pudding  of  Merrie  England,  the 
piquant  chile  con  came  of  Mexico,  the  three-finger  poi  of 
Hawaii,  and  the  Sunday  morning  baked-beans  and  pump- 
kin-pie of  Yankeedom,  but  among  them  all  I  have  found 
nothing  to  compare,  in  the  tang  of  its  sapidity,  to  curry 
and  rice,  that  famous  and  seductive  dish  of  the  Orient. 


[7] 


CHAPTER  II 

COMMERCIAL  OPPORTUNITIES  IN  THE   PHILIP- 
PINES 

The  Civil  Governor  and  Commission  —  An  Exemplary 
Colonial  Government  —  The  Wealth  op  the  Islands 

—  Need  op  Capital  and  Labor  —  The  Early  Site  op 
Manila  —  The  Army  and  Navy  Club  —  The  Climate 
op  the  Philippines  —  The  Sights  of  the  Walled  City 

—  Church  op  Saint  Augustine  —  The  Palace  of  the 
Archbishop  and  the  Cathedral  —  College  of  Santo 
Tom  as  —  Santiago    and    its    Dungeon    Cells  —  The 

MaLECON  DRrTEWAY  AND  LUNETA  —  THE  EXECUTION  OP 
RlZAL. 

THE  following  morning  I  called  on  the  Civil  Governor 
whom  I  found  occupied  with  many  important  matters 
connected  with  the  islands.  The  original  work  of  organiz- 
ing the  Insular  government  was  entrusted  to  the  Honorable 
William  H.  Taft,  the  first  civil  governor,  and  the  members 
of  the  Philippine  Commission,  who  have  given  the  world 
a  modern  lesson  in  colonial  administration  which  will 
ever  remain  an  honor  to  our  country.  All  that  is  neces- 
sary to  make  the  islands  bloom  like  a  garden  and  to  be- 
come the  most  prosperous  colony  in  the  world  are  capital 
and  labor.  Capital  from  the  United  States  and  labor 
from  the  millions  of  industrious  and  willing  hands  in  the 
Celestial  Empire  across  the  China  Sea.  After  a  satisfac- 
tory conference  with  the  Governor  and  Commission  I  vis- 
ited the  Collector  of  Customs  and  was  enabled  to  make  a 
careful  survey  of  imports  and  exports,  which  have  pro- 

[8] 


COMMERCIAL   OPPORTUNITIES 

duced  a  revenue  more  than  sufficient  to  defray  the  expenses 
of  the  Insular  government,  beside  paying  for  the  many 
public  buildings,  roads,  system  of  public  instruction,  and 
general  improvements  in  progress  throughout  the  archi- 
pelago. By  appointment  with  the  President  of  the  Amer- 
ican Chamber  of  Commerce  a  meeting  of  the  business  men 
was  arranged  on  the  second  day  after  my  arrival,  which 
greatly  facilitated  the  object  of  my  mission  in  Manila. 

Only  a  few  Americans  at  home  have  more  than  a  super- 
ficial knowledge  of  the  conditions  in  the  Philippines,  and 
they  appear  to  care  less.  They  are  aware  that  the  American 
fleet  under  Dewey  sailed  into  Manila  harbor  in  May,  1898, 
and  ended  Spanish  domain  in  the  Far  East  forever;  that 
a  group  of  islands  occupied  by  a  down-trodden  people  were 
gathered  together  under  Old  Glory,  but  both  the  islands 
and  the  people  have  remained  to  them  an  unknown  quan- 
tity even  to  the  present  day. 

Little  do  our  very  best  informed  citizens  in  the  home- 
land know  that  a  priceless  empire  is  going  a-begging  in  this 
land  of  eternal  summer,  and  that  to  the  flag  has  come,  as 
if  God-sent,  a  territory  greater  in  size  than  that  of  Great 
Britain  and  as  rich  as  the  fabulous  wealth  of  the  Indies. 

Only  the  magic  touch  of  American  enterprise  is  needed 
to  convert  those  boundless  plains  into  smiling  fields  of 
golden  rice  and  luxuriant  sugar-cane  and  cocoa-nut  or- 
chards of  perpetual  wealth,  and  the  mountain-sides  into 
veritable  storehouses  of  Manila  hemp,  the  praises  of  which 
have  been  sung  by  sailor  men  for  ages  untold.  Nor  should 
we  forget  the  wealth  of  the  primeval  forests  of  mahogany, 
rosewood,  ebony,  molave  and  other  priceless  hardwoods,  the 
vast  acreage  adapted  to  the  growth  of  aromatic  tobacco, 
and  the  mountain  ranges  full  of  precious  metals. 

There  is  no  end  to  the  list  of  valuable  products  that  shall 
come  some  day  from  the  plains,  mountains,  and  seas  of 
our  possessions  in  the  East  to  enrich  the  marts  of  the  world, 
but  come  they  will,  whether  through  American  enterprise 
or  that  of  some  envious  neighbor  who  realizes  the  price- 

[9] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

less  pearls  neglected  through  our  national  ignorance  and 
indifference. 

Manila  has  really  made  prodigious  strides  since  Amer- 
ican occupancy,  in  spite  of  the  inertia  of  the  American 
at  home,  some  administrative  restrictions,  and  a  lethargic 
Congress,  and  within  a  few  more  years  Old  Manila  will 
have  become  a  thing  of  the  past,  usurped  and  crowded  out 
by  a  modern  city. 

The  meeting  with  the  Chamber  of  Commerce  gave  me  a 
splendid  opportunity  to  learn  of  the  struggling  American 
colony  patiently  awaiting  recognition  from  home,  and  of 
laws  that  would  make  it  possible  to  develop  the  islands — 
laws  which,  up  to  the  present,  have  been  smothered  by 
trusts,  combines,  and  bad  administrative  policy.  No  won- 
der that  sugar  plantations  had  gone  into  decay,  that  to- 
bacco fields  capable  of  producing  a  product  equal  to  that 
of  the  famed  Vuelta  Aba  jo  of  Cuba  were  lying  idle,  and 
that  poverty  and  misery  brooded  over  the  land. 

The  government  at  home  realizes  that  the  growth,  pros- 
perity, and  happiness  of  the  Philippines  must  result  from 
the  product  of  labor  in  connection  with  agricultural  in- 
dustries, and  yet  for  years  it  dared  not  open  its  gates  to  a 
paltry  list  of  cigars  and  a  few  thousand  tons  of  sugar  lest 
it  incur  the  condemnation  of  the  monopolies  and  trusts. 

A  week  had  nearly  passed  since  my  arrival  and,  occupied 
as  I  had  been  with  the  affairs  of  my  mission,  I  had  seen  lit- 
tle of  my  friends,  the  Major  and  the  Judge,  and  less  of  the 
famous  old  city.  My  work  was  now  finished  and  I  was 
anxious  to  avail  myself  of  their  kind  invitation  to  see 
Manila,  the  Pearl  of  the  Orient. 

The  transport  was  to  sail  in  two  more  days  and  my 
transportation  was  secured,  although  I  learned  that  every 
cabin  had  been  called  into  requisition  by  officers  and 
families  en  route  to  Japan  and  those  returning  to  the 
homeland. 

Returning  to  the  club  after  a  tiresome  day  I  found  my 
friends  sitting  in  their  favored  spot  discussing  the  early 

[10] 


X 

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13 
> 

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COMMERCIAL   OPPORTUNITIES 

history  of  the  islands  while  enjoying  the  aroma  of  a 
Reina  Victoria  made  from  the  tobacco  grown  in  the  Caga- 
yan  Valley. 

"You  have  no  doubt  noticed,  Mr.  Rhodes,  that  Manila 
lies  in  a  low  valley  and  that  the  surface  of  the  street  is 
but  a  few  feet  above  water,"  remarked  the  Judge. 
"Yes,"  he  added,  "this  entire  valley  is  the  result  of 
alluvial  deposits  brought  by  the  Pasig  River  from  the  great 
interior  lake  known  as  Laguna  de  Bay,  which  is  not  more 
than  ten  or  twelve  miles  distant  from  here. 

"We  are  told  by  early  writers  that  on  the  arrival  of 
Legaspi  in  1564  the  entire  site  of  the  present  city  con- 
sisted of  mangrove  swamps  and  canals  called  esteros  by 
the  Spaniards,  a  number  of  which  you  have  noticed  in 
driving  through  the  city. 

"Legaspi  found  two  small  towns,  one  on  the  present 
site  of  the  walled  city,  known  as  Manilat  and  surrounded 
by  a  bamboo  stockade,  and  the  other  on  the  opposite  side 
of  the  river,  known  as  Tondo.  Both  of  these  towns  were 
ruled  by  rajahs  under  a  form  of  government  left  by  the 
early  Hindu  settlement,  although  the  inhabitants  were 
more  or  less  Mohammedan  in  religious  belief  at  the  time. 

"It  is  a  curious  fact,  Mr.  Rhodes,  that  the  Spaniards 
arrived  barely  in  time  to  prevent  the  Moslem  faith  from 
taking  root  all  over  the  Philippines.  The  cult  had  en- 
tered by  way  of  Borneo  and  had  taken  entire  possession 
of  Mindanao,  which  has  remained  unchanged  during  the 
three  hundred  and  fifty  years  of  Spanish  domination,  in 
spite  of  every  effort  made  by  the  Church  to  Christianize 
the  Moros  living  there.  A  really  curious  coincidence  con- 
nected with  the  Moro  question .  at  that  time  is  the  fact 
that  the  Spaniards  had  barely  expurgated  Moslemism  from 
Southern  Spain  when  they  came  over  here,  ten  thou- 
sand miles  away,  to  fight  the  infidel  on  the  same  religious 
grounds." 

"The  most  tragic  and  interesting  portion  of  Philippine 
history  is  connected  with  the  "Walled  City,"  said  the  Major, 

[11] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

"so  in  beginning  our  rambles  around  the  city,  we  might 
start  right  here. 

"The  club  in  which  we  are  so  comfortably  housed,"  he 
continued,  "was  built  by  the  Spanish  army  engineers  and, 
as  you  see  is  wonderfully  adapted  to  the  climate,  with  its 
high  ceilings  and  cool  tile  floors.  You  will  also  note  the 
pleasant  arrangement  of  the  interior  of  the  building  and 
the  wide  and  comfortable  piazzas  adjoining  the  garden 
within.  A  little  over  ten  years  ago,  dinners,  balls,  and 
receptions  took  place  here  just  as  they  do  now,  the  only 
difference  being  in  the  composition  of  the  assemblage. 
There  is  no  doubt  but  that  Generals  Weyler,  Blanco,  and 
that  insatiable  tool  of  the  friars  and  murderer  of  Eizal, 
Polavieja,  have  passed  many  a  pleasant  evening  in  the 
society  of  Manila's  handsome  mestizo  women  in  this  de- 
lightful patio,  listening  to  the  inspiring  strains  of  'La 
Paloma'  under  the  bewitching  influence  of  the  tropical 
moon. ' ' 

"Come,  come,  Major,  you  are  getting  positively  sen- 
timental," said  the  Judge,  "and  since  the  dinner  hour  has 
arrived,  vamonos  a  comer,  for  we  have  a  busy  day  ahead 
of  us  in  the  morning." 

Although  it  was  the  height  of  the  rainy  season  the  sun 
rose  bright  and  clear  the  following  morning,  which  greatly 
facilitated  our  expedition. 

The  climate  of  the  Philippines  is  usually  divided  into 
three  seasons,  known  as  the  wet,  dry,  and  dry-and-hot. 
The  wet  season  begins  as  a  rule  about  the  middle  or  last 
of  June  and  continues  until  December,  the  dry  until  the 
middle  of  March,  and  the  dry-and-hot  from  then  until  the 
rains  begin.  Both  the  wet  and  dry  seasons  are  reasonably 
agreeable,  while  the  dry-and-hot  forces  those  able  to  leave 
to  the  mountains  of  Benguet,  or  to  Japan  or  China. 

"Come,  gentlemen,  our  automobile  is  at  the  door,  so 
with  your  permission  we  will  start,"  said  the  Judge. 
"Let  us  first  take  a  hasty  survey  of  the  great  religious 
temples  erected  by  the  monastic   orders,   which,   as  you 

[12] 


COMMERCIAL   OPPORTUNITIES 

know,  played  such  an  important  role  in  the  history  of 
these  wretched  people,  all  of  which  are  located  within  the 
walled  city.  Major,  I  am  going  to  delegate  to  you  the 
duties  of  guide,  while  I  play  the  part  of  tourist  with  Mr. 
Rhodes,  so  please  conduct  us  as  expeditiously  as  possible 
and  tell  us  all  you  know  about  this  interesting  old  city. ' ' 

"Very  well,  gentlemen,  if  I  am  to  be  the  guide,  I  shall 
demand  attention  at  least,  but  before  we  start  I  would 
suggest  that  we  light  a  Flor  de  Isabela  which,  in  a  measure, 
will  conceal  a  few  of  the  varieties  of  smells  and  odors  we 
are  likely  to  encounter  in  our  wanderings  to-day." 

"Chauffeur,  you  may  halt  here,"  said  the  Major  after 
driving  a  block  up  Calle  Palacio  towards  the  Ayunta- 
miento.  "This  large  church  on  the  left,  together  with  the 
convent  adjoining,  belongs  to  the  Order  of  Saint  Augustine 
and  is  the  oldest  church  in  the  archipelago.  It  was  built 
in  1590  and  is  the  only  church  in  Manila  which  has  not 
repeatedly  been  tumbled  to  the  ground  by  the  various 
earthquakes  with  which  Manila  has  been  visited  during 
Spanish  occupation.  "Within  its  ancient  walls  lies  all  that 
is  mortal  of  the  great  Adelantado  Miguel  de  Legaspi  and 
his  grandson  Juan  Salcedo,  the  real  conquerors  of  the 
island  and  founders  of  Manila.  The  order  of  Saint  Au- 
gustine was  the  first  to  visit  the  archipelago;  in  fact 
Urdaneta  with  five  Augustinian  monks  arrived  with  Le- 
gaspi, hence  this  order  became  numerically  the  strongest 
over  here.  You  will  notice  the  convent  which  adjoins 
the  church  on  the  left.  It  extends  several  blocks  and  is 
said  to  be  capable  of  sheltering  a  thousand  monks. 

"We  will  pass  down  Calle  Real  toward  the  gate  of 
Santa  Lucia  and  then  up  the  Calle  del  Arzobispo,  upon 
which  are  located  the  Jesuit  church  and  the  palace  of  the 
archbishop.  The  wood  carving  in  the  Jesuit  church  is 
justly  celebrated  and  it  is  said  that  nothing  equal  to  it 
can  be  found  in  any  of  the  handsome  cathedrals  of  Europe, 
although  every  vine,  leaf,  and  bunch  of  grapes  was  carved 
by  native  labor. 

[13] 


ON  LEAVE   IN  JAPAN 

"The  Jesuits  came  to  the  islands  in  1602  for  purely 
educational  purposes,  but,  instead  of  remaining  steadfast 
in  the  work  for  which  they  were  so  ably  fitted,  they  soon 
longed  for  the  flesh-pots  of  the  land  and  demanded  their 
share  of  the  curacies  which  became  the  'get-rich-quick' 
route  to  the  other  and  more  sordid  monastic  orders,  and 
the  bone  of  contention  between  them  and  the  native  clergy. 
To  this  great,  irritating  ulcer  may  be  ascribed  three-fourths 
of  all  the  trouble  between  Spain  and  the  native  Filipino, 
and  the  origin  of  every  insurrection.  Poor,  benighted,  old 
Spain  never  recognized  the  situation  until  Dewey's  fleet 
entered  the  Bay  of  Manila,  but  unfortunately  then  the 
opportunity  for  reform  had  forever  passed.  The  great 
wave  of  opposition  to  the  Order  of  the  Jesuits  which  passed 
over  France  and  Spain  in  1760,  extended  to  the  Philip- 
pines a  few  years  later,  so  the  Society  of  Jesus  had  to  go. 
In  1852  they  were  allowed  to  return  to  the  Philippines 
and  from  that  date  to  the  present  have  behaved  themselves 
fairly  well,  devoting  their  energy  to  instruction  and  scien- 
tific research. 

"The  handsome  palace  you  see  a  short  distance  up  the 
street  is  the  residence  of  the  archbishop.  It  looks  quiet 
and  peaceful  to-day  and  offers  no  hint  of  the  turbulent 
scenes  which  have  been  enacted  there  during  the  three 
centuries  and  a  half  of  Spanish  rule.  Archbishops  have 
murdered  governors  and  governors  imprisoned  or  deported 
archbishops.  The  monastic  orders  at  times  have  revolted 
against  both  and  even  set  at  defiance  the  king  himself. 

"A  dozen  volumes  would  be  incapable  of  containing  the 
history  of  intrigue,  conspiracy,  and  murder  connected  with 
the  various  incumbents  of  that  holy  office  since  the  days 
of  Legaspi,  so  we  will  pass  along  to  the  Plaza  McKinley, 
formerly  the  Plaza  of  Spain,  upon  which  is  located  the 
famous  Ayuntamiento,  the  headquarters  of  Civil  Govern- 
ment in  the  islands.  This  building  at  present  contains 
the  offices  of  the  Civil  Governor  and  Commissioners,  be- 
sides several  minor  bureaus  belonging  to  the  government. 

[14] 


COMMERCIAL   OPPORTUNITIES 

Formerly  the  Ayuntamiento  was  the  office  of  the  Spanish 
Governor  General  and  centre  of  the  old  regime. 

"The  large  church  on  the  Plaza,  over  there,  built  in 
Byzantine-Roman  style,  is  the  cathedral,  which,  like  a 
number  of  the  other  churches,  has  been  rebuilt  several 
times.  Until  recently  the  archbishop  celebrated  an  annual 
service  in  honor  of  San  Andrew,  who  was  supposed  to 
have  been  responsible  for  the  defeat  of  Limahong,  the 
Chinese  invader  in  1670.  On  this  occasion  the  Spanish 
colors  were  spread  upon  the  aisle  for  the  archbishop  and 
a  procession  of  priests  to  tread  upon,  as  a  symbol  of  the 
supremacy  of  Church  over  State.  Shortly  after  the  fall 
of  Manila  two  American  soldiers  ventured  into  the 
cathedral  on  such  an  occasion  and  were  furnished  with 
small  American  flags  to  throw  in  the  aisle  as  the  pro- 
cession passed  by.  Greatly  to  the  credit  of  these  men, 
they  stuck  their  flags  in  their  hat  bands  and  left  the  church, 
saying  they  would  be  blanked  before  they  would  let  any 
one  tread  on  their  flag,  although  the  men  were  Catholics. 

"At  the  foot  of  Calle  Santo  Thomas,  near  the  wall,  you 
will  see  the  famous  church  of  Santo  Domingo  and  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  street  the  college  of  Santo  Tomas  and 
the  justly  celebrated  museum  which  belongs  to  it.  The 
museum  contains  a  rare  and  valuable  collection  of  sea 
shells,  birds,  fishes,  mammals,  and  miscellaneous  articles 
of  native  manufacture  and  origin.  Among  the  collections 
are  several  exceedingly  large  skulls  exhumed  from  tumuli 
in  the  southern  islands.  No  definite  information  has  ever 
been  obtained  as  to  the  origin  of  this  extinct  people,  who 
evidently  disappeared  before  the  second  wave  of  settlers, 
now  composing  the  present  civilized  tribes,  came  to  the 
islands.  Among  the  interesting  specimens  in  the  museum 
is  the  mounted  skin  of  a  python  over  thirty  feet  long. 

"We  will  now  pass  through  the  arsenal  grounds  and 
visit  the  old  Fortress  of  Santiago,  overlooking  the  Pasig, 
where  scenes  of  cruelty,  torture,  and  bloodshed  were 
enacted  which  no  doubt  would  compare  favorably  with  the 

[15] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

most  cruel  incidents  of  the  Spanish  Inquisition  during  the 
Middle  Ages.  This  old  castle,  with  its  dungeon  cells,  was 
begun  in  1591,  but  not  thoroughly  completed  for  many 
years  afterwards.  Dungeons  below  the  bed  of  the  Pasig 
River  with  skeletons  chained  to  the  walls  were  found  after 
the  capture  of  Manila  by  the  Americans.  Some  of  these 
cells  were  connected  with  the  river  by  means  of  small  in- 
takes, which  enabled  the  authorities  to  dispose  of  unde- 
sirable and  troublesome  prisoners  with  little  trouble  and 
less  notoriety. 

"  Thousands  of  unfortunates  have  passed  through  this 
grim  old  prison,  some  to  give  up  their  lives  on  the  Luneta 
and  others  to  go  to  distant  penal  colonies  from  which  they 
would  never  return.  In  1896,  during  the  final  uprising, 
over  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  suspects  were  crowded 
into  a  small  cell  with  but  one  window.  The  sergeant  of 
the  guard  closed  the  window  during  the  night,  whether 
by  accident  or  design  is  not  known,  and  the  next  morning 
over  half  of  the  poor  wretches  were  found  dead.  A  veri- 
table Black  Hole  of  Calcutta  on  the  eve  of  the  twentieth 
century. 

"We  will  now  cross  to  the  Malecon  Driveway  over  the 
bridge  connected  with  the  main  entrance  and  notice  the 
monument  standing  on  the  bank  of  the  Pasig.  It  was 
erected  there  by  the  Spanish  government  to  commemorate 
the  valiant  Don  Simon  de  Anda  for  expelling  the  British 
from  the  islands  in  1764.  Our  British  cousins  in  Manila 
have  not  stopped  laughing  yet  over  the  joke,  for  the  fact 
is  the  English  left  of  their  own  free  will,  after  a  treaty 
between  the  French  and  Spanish  governments  in  1764. 
If  John  Bull  had  elected  to  do  so,  I  presume  that  the  Eng- 
lish Jack  would  be  floating  over  Fort  Santiago  to-day. 

"The  Malecon  Driveway,  which  is  a  beautiful  avenue 
leading  to  the  Luneta  through  rows  of  royal  palms,  be- 
longs to  the  system  of  roads  and  parks  laid  out  by  the 
Spaniards.  You  will  notice  the  carefully  arranged  walks 
with  benches  which  have  been  provided  for  the  pedestrians. 

[16] 


COMMERCIAL   OPPORTUNITIES 

"Before  the  arrival  of  the  Americans  the  Malecon 
Driveway  extended  along  the  margin  of  the  Bay,  while 
now  it  lies  almost  half  a  mile  away.  It  must  have  been 
a  charming  place  for  a  drive  or  promenade  during  the 
evening  hour,  before  American  energy  and  enterprise 
transformed  its  environment,  and  I  can  imagine  no  greater 
pleasure  than  to  have  watched  the  brilliant  sunsets  over 
the  Bataan  Mountains,  while  enjoying  the  balmy  breezes 
from  the  bay  and  listening  to  the  musical  lapping  of  the 
waves  at  one's  feet. 

"During  the  process  of  deepening  the  harbor  quite  300 
acres  of  land  have  been  reclaimed,  which  in  time  will  be- 
come valuable  and  no  doubt  in  the  near  future  will  be 
covered  with  factories,  go-downs,  wholesale  houses,  and 
railroad  spurs.  You  can  see  from  here  that  the  Govern- 
ment has  already  built  several  large  wharves  and  is  going 
ahead  with  others.  The  harbor  within  the  breakwater  is 
deep  enough  to  float  vessels  of  twenty-six  feet  draught  at 
present  and  it  is  the  intention  to  continue  the  work  until 
the  largest  ships  can  enter  and  unload. 

"We  will  now  continue  our  drive  down  the  Malecon  to 
the  Luneta  which  permits  a  good  view  of  Cavite  across  the 
bay,  seven  miles  away.  You  will  also  have  an  excellent 
opportunity  to  note  the  height  of  the  walls  which  en- 
circle the  city,  completed  about  1590  and,  it  is  said,  built 
entirely  by  Chinese  labor.  Originally  the  walls  were  sur- 
rounded by  a  deep  moat  which  on  our  arrival  in  1898  had 
practically  become  filled  up  with  filth,  sewage,  and  dank 
vegetation. 

"They  were  finally  completed  during  the  administra- 
tion of  Governor  Dasmarinas  and  served  an  excellent  pur- 
pose during  the  days  of  the  Moro  pirate  and  Dutch  buc- 
caneer, but  now  they  have  become  a  hindrance  to  the  free 
circulation  of  air,  an  obstacle  to  traffic,  and  a  barrier  to 
municipal  growth,  so  they  will  have  to  go,  although  the 
wail  of  the  sentimentalist  prevents  their  demolition  at 
present.  Already  one  of  the  most  beautiful  gates  of  the 
2  [17] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

walled  city  has  disappeared  and  the  entrance  widened  to 
make  way  for  the  increased  traffic. 

"We  have  now  arrived  at  the  famous  Luneta,  which 
for  ages  has  been  the  evening  resort  of  the  music-loving 
populace  of  Manila,  as  well  as  the  scene  of  tragedy  and 
death. 

"On  the  corner  of  the  Malecon  drive  just  opposite  the 
Luneta  you  will  observe  that  beautiful  and  artistic  monu- 
ment erected  in  honor  of  Legaspi  and  Fray  Urdaneta, 
who  were  sent  by  the  zealot  Philip  in  1564  to  conquer 
these  islands  by  the  cross  and  sword.  To  the  right  in  the 
group  stands  the  great  Adelantado  holding  aloft  the  com- 
mission from  his  king,  while  to  the  left  and  rear  is 
Andres  de  Urdaneta,  friar,  soldier,  and  sailor,  with  the 
uplifted  cross  of  Christ  in  the  right  hand  and  his  loving 
message  under  the  left  arm.  Each  has  left  his  impress 
upon  the  country,  the  people,  and  their  history.  For 
good  or  bad,  both  sword  and  cross  has  played  its  role 
during  those  three  centuries  and  a  half  of  intellectual  re- 
striction, cruel  government,  and  moral  abandon. 

"On  these  hallowed  grounds  Doctor  Jose  Rizal,  patriot 
and  author,  freely  surrendered  his  life  that  his  country 
might  be  liberated  from  the  monastic  government  which 
for  generations  had  fastened  itself  upon  his  people  like 
a  remorseless  vampire.  The  holy  fathers  who  had  wan- 
dered far  from  the  loving  precepts  of  their  Master  and 
from  the  basic  principle  of  celibacy  among  these  gentle 
and  ignorant  natives,  were  unable  to  undergo  the  truth- 
ful but  caustic  criticism  of  'Noli  me  tangere'  and  'Fil- 
ibusterismo, '  *  so  they  issued  the  mandate  that  Rizal  must 
die. 

"After  trial  by  a  packed  jury  and  the  death  sentence 
signed  by  that  miserable  tool  of  the  friars,  Polavieja,  here, 
on  this  very  spot,  the  great  Rizal  died  surrounded  by  a 
jeering  Spanish  crowd  and  three  hundred  uncompromising 

*  Two  novels  on  Philippine  life  and  conditions,  by  J.  Rizal. 

[18] 


COMMERCIAL   OPPORTUNITIES 

members  of  the  monastic  orders,  who  felt  relieved  in  his 
death.  See  how  peaceful  the  Luneta  looks  to-day,  how 
tranquil  under  the  fair  canopy  of  a  cloudless  sky,  its 
borders  laved  by  the  blue  Bay  of  Manila.  My  friends, 
were  all  the  innocent  blood  that  has  been  shed  on  this 
beautiful  Luneta  poured  out  upon  it  during  the  evening 
assemblage  the  hundreds  gathered  here  would  have  to 
wade  through  it  ankle-deep. 

"Here  the  native  priests  Gomez,  Burgos,  and  Father 
Zamora,  eighty-five  years  old  at  the  time,  were  shot  to 
death  because  they  preached  the  rights  of  the  Council  of 
Trent.  Roxas,  Abella,  and  a  thousand  other  illustrious 
Filipinos  offered  up  their  lives  on  this  sacred  spot  that 
their  sons  and  daughters  might  escape  the  tyranny  of 
Spain,  and  call  these  verdant  isles  'Patria.' 

"What  changes  a  few  years  have  wrought  in  the  old 
Luneta,  and  how  the  scenes  have  shifted  since  the  days 
of  the  volunteer  army,  which  came  from  far  across  the 
sea  to  rescue  a  down-trodden  race.  Yes,  and  how  many 
of  those  brave  sons  of  America  have  I  seen,  after  the  strife 
was  ended,  sitting  here  on  these  benches,  with  saddened 
faces  turned  toward  the  setting  sun,  dreaming  of  mother, 
sweetheart,  home,  and  loved  ones.  But  we  have  dwelt  long 
enough  on  these  sad  memories,  gentlemen,"  concluded  the 
Major,  "and  since  it  is  about  the  hour  of  tiffin,  I  move 
that  we  proceed  to  the  club,  and  finish  our  rambles  of 
Old  Manila  later  in  the  day." 


[19] 


CHAPTER  III 

RAMBLES  THROUGH  OLD  MANILA 

The  New  City  Hall  and  Columbian  Road  —  The  First 
Reserve  Hospital  —  Insular  Printing  Press  —  Botan- 
ical Garden  —  Government  Refrigerating  Plant  — 
Secret  Society  of  Santa  Cruz  —  The  Shopping  Dis- 
trict —  Bhjbid  Prison  —  San  Lazaro  and  the  Lepers 
—  Andre's  Bonifacio  and  the  Katipunan  —  Sanita- 
tion of  Manila  —  The  Governor's  Palace  —  The  Liv- 
ing Cemetery  of  Pandacan  —  A  Modern  Joan  of  Arc. 

VAMONOS,  mis  amigos,"  said  the  Major  after  finish- 
ing tiffin,  "let  us  return  to  the  Bagumbayan,  which 
we  left  at  noon,  and  continue  our  rambles  through  Old 
Manila. 

"Above  us  on  the  boulevard  you  will  see  the  new  City 
Hall  and,  to  the  right  across  the  fields  toward  Malate,  you 
will  observe  the  progress  made  on  the  Columbian  Road 
which  is  destined  to  become  one  of  the  principal  drive- 
ways of  the  city.  The  city  fathers  have  planted  on  each 
side  rows  of  the  fire  tree,  which  is  noted  not  only  for  its 
fiery  blaze  of  glory  when  in  bloom,  but  for  its  exquisite 
foliage  and  dense  shade  as  well.  Ten  or  fifteen  years  hence 
this  handsome  boulevard,  when  in  bloom,  will  eclipse  any 
avenue  of  the  kind  in  the  world.  What  a  fitting  tribute 
such  a  monument  would  prove  to  the  distinguished  dis- 
coverer of  these  islands  and  what  a  pity  it  is  not  to  be 
known  as  'La  Avenida  de  Magallanes.' 

"  Across  the  Calle  de  Concepcion  you  notice  the  plant 
of  the  Civil  Government  Printing  Press,  which  has  always 
been  a  credit  to  the  United  States. 

[20] 


RAMBLES   THROUGH  OLD  MANILA 

"Immediately  behind  stands  the  Division  Hospital, 
affectionately  known  during  the  Philippine  Insurrection  as 
the  Old  First  Reserve.  This  building  was  erected  for  the 
sick  and  wounded  of  the  Spanish  army,  quite  on  modern 
plans.  The  construction  of  this  hospital  alone  will  atone, 
I  feel  sure,  for  many  of  the  shortcomings  of  the  Dons, 
when  we  consider  it  in  the  light  of  the  great  blessing  it  has 
proved  to  thousands  of  our  sick  and  wounded  soldiers. 

"Beyond  we  pass  the  Botanical  Garden  with  its  zo- 
ological exhibit  which  stands  very  high  among  the  gar- 
dens of  the  East  on  account  of  the  great  variety  of  trees 
it  contains.  The  Philippines  are  noted  for  their  variety 
of  valuable  hardwoods  which  are  destined  some  day  to 
become  one  of  the  great  sources  of  wealth  of  the  islands. 
Few  Americans  realize  the  number  of  these  trees,  some 
of  which  bear  beautiful  and  fragrant  flowers.  Veritably 
the  primeval  forests  of  the  Philippines,  during  the  period 
of  bloom,  enhanced  by  the  plumage  of  hundreds  of  kinds 
of  birds  within  its  foliage,  may  be  likened  unto  a  gorgeous 
flower  garden. 

"Farther  along  towards  the  Pasig,  between  the  Santa 
Cruz  and  Suspension  bridges,  you  will  note  the  Refrigera- 
ting Plant  built  by  Uncle  Sam  in  1899  for  the  use  of  the 
boys  in  khaki  and  the  Civil  Government.  This  plant  is 
capable  of  turning  out  5,000  tons  of  ice  daily  and  re- 
frigerating enough  meat  and  other  supplies  to  last  an 
army  of  100,000  men  a  year.  The  cost  was  nearly  a  mil- 
lion gold,  but  it  has  paid  for  itself  twice  over  already, 
though  I  am  not  sure  it  has  proved  a  financial  success. 
At  the  close  of  the  Insurrection,  when  the  army  was  re- 
duced from  80,000  to  less  than  20,000,  the  War  Depart- 
ment sold  it  to  the  Civil  Government  at  cost. 

"We  will  now  cross  the  Santa  Cruz  bridge,  which 
consisted  merely  of  piers  on  the  evacuation  of  the  islands 
by  Spain.  The  Americans  have  done  much  for  Manila  in 
the  way  of  public  improvement,  not  the  least  of  which  has 
been  bridge  work.     The  old  Bridge  of  Spain  was  widened 

[21] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

twenty  feet,  as  well  as  the  Ayala  bridge  which  was  also 
straightened. 

"Notice  that  old  stone  house  over  there  on  the  corner 
opposite  the  main  entrance  to  the  church,  for  it  is  said 
that  the  Cavite  uprising  in  1872  was  the  result  of  a  secret 
society  organized  there.  Padre  Mariano,  the  parish  priest, 
was  the  president  of  this  society  which  had  for  its  object 
the  creation  of  a  more  liberal  feeling  toward  the  Filipinos 
in  Madrid. 

"The  society  met  in  the  bottom  of  a  large  cistern,  the 
upper  portion  of  which  was  arranged  to  hold  water.  The 
proceedings  of  the  society  were  published  in  Madrid  in  a 
periodical  known  as  the  Eco  de  Filipinas  and  clandestinely 
introduced  into  the  islands  and  native  circulation.  But 
with  the  confessional  and  other  means  at  hand  the  society 
did  not  last  long.  It  is  claimed  by  historians  that  several 
of  the  Spanish  friars  became  members  of  the  organization 
and,  while  apparently  genuinely  in  sympathy  with  the 
movement,  incited  to  insurrection  the  troops  of  Cavite  and 
afterwards  on  investigation  involved  the  three  native 
priests,  Burgos,  Gomez,  and  Zamora,  besides  hundreds  of 
others  who  were  shot  or  sent  to  some  penal  colony. 

"We  will  now  pass  down  the  principal  retail  shopping- 
street  for  the  American  and  European  population.  Here, 
on  the  Escolta,  are  located  La  Estrella  del  Norte,  the  fa- 
mous Spanish  jewelry  store  of  Manila,  Watson's  depot  for 
drugs,  soda  and  Scotch,  The  Extremenia,  Paris-Manila, 
and  a  dozen  other  celebrated  bazaars  where  the  wives  of 
officers  and  officials  turn  their  husbands'  money  loose  with 
great  regularity  at  the  end  of  each  month. 

"Old  Manila,  as  you  see,  has  awakened  from  its  siesta 
of  nearly  four  centuries  and  the  energy  of  the  new  world 
is  felt  everywhere  along  its  streets  and  waterways  to-day. 
Electric  cars  of  the  most  improved  model  glide  rapidly 
along  its  avenues  and  boulevards  while  the  surrounding 
barrios  of  Santa  Mesa,  Santa  Ana,  San  Juan  del  Monte, 
and  Tondo  are  brought  into  the  closest  relation  with  the 

[22] 


Igorot  Village,  Bontoc  Province,  Philippines 


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RAMBLES  THROUGH  OLD  MANILA 

city.  Even  the  far  away  suburban  pueblos  of  Malabon, 
Caloocan,  and  Pasig  are  becoming  centres  of  country 
residences. 

"Let  us  drive  down  Calle  Rosario  and  take  a  look  at  our 
queued  citizens  from  the  Flowery  Kingdom,  the  Jews  of 
the  East.  You  will  see  them  busy  in  their  bazaars  selling 
colored  prints,  muslins,  and  articles  of  hardware,  and  hag- 
gling with  their  patrons  even  over  a  pitiful  centavo.  Poor, 
miserable  wretches,  their  history,  like  that  of  their  less 
fortunate  Filipino  brother,  is  filled  with  pages  of  extor- 
tion, massacre,  and  banishment. 

"From  the  very  earliest  days  of  Spanish  settlement  the 
Celestial  became  marked  as  a  victim  for  church  and  state 
because  he  was  frugal,  industrious,  rich,  and  a  pagan. 
What  better  reason  for  applying  the  thumbscrew  to  the 
wealthy  pagan  when  the  church  needed  a  donation,  or  an 
interested  Chinaman  desired  as  bride  a  Filipino  maiden? 

"Freedom  to  engage  in  business  in  Manila  and  marry 
a  Christian  woman  came  high  to  the  Chinaman  and  also 
at  times,  even  the  privilege  of  living.  Four  times  during 
Spanish  domination  were  the  Chinese  literally  swept  out 
of  existence  through  ruthless  and  unprovoked  massacre. 
Edicts  were  issued  for  the  banishment  of  the  remainder 
who  did  not  accept  the  teaching  of  the  Church.  During 
the  absence  of  the  Chinese  between  such  periods,  gaunt 
famine  swept  over  the  land,  for  there  was  no  one  to  till 
the  soil,  so  poor  John  was  invited  back  to  wait  again  the 
culmination  of  the  ire  and  hatred  of  the  Church  and  suc- 
ceeding generations. 

"So  now,  honest,  old  pig-tailed  John,  enjoy  your  pros- 
perity, your  fat  bank  accounts,  and  your  happy  homes  and 
fear  no  longer  the  whim,  caprice,  or  malignancy  of  creed 
or  state.  God  has  placed  Old  Glory  over  these  islands  to 
shelter  and  protect  every  man,  woman,  and  child  in  the 
rightful  exercise  of  freedom  in  religion,  thought,  and 
speech. 

"We  will  now  cross  the  Estero  de  Meysic,  near  the  old 

[23] 


ON  LEAVE   IN  JAPAN 

Oriente  Hotel,  and  drive  to  the  Paseo  de  Azcarraga,  the 
great  boulevard  upon  which  is  located  Bilibid  prison,  the 
very  name  of  which  struck  terror  to  thousands  of  both 
criminal  and  innocent  people  a  few  years  ago  of  which  it 
could  have  been  truthfully  said,  'He  who  enters  here 
leaves  hope  behind.'  On  the  arrival  of  the  Americans, 
hundreds  of  wretches  were  found  in  its  cells,  who  had  been 
imprisoned  for  many  years  without  trial  or  hearing. 

"Old  men  —  and  women,  too  —  had  been  there  so  long 
that  they  had  even  forgotten  name  and  family  and  equally 
had  been  lost  sight  of  by  the  loved  ones  at  home ;  men  who 
had  been  denounced  away  up  country  as  filibusters  and 
undesirable,  because  caught  in  the  possession  of  some  lit- 
erature beyond  the  elementary  catechism  of  their  native 
dialects,  or  because  they  had  neglected  to  kiss  the  padre's 
hand  on  passing  that  religious  autocrat  on  the  street. 
There  was  no  fairness  in  the  land  among  the  hordes  of 
officials  who  filled  the  ranks  of  the  civil  list  and  monastic 
orders.     Truly  Justice  was  blind  and  Mercy  asleep. 

"In  the  corner  of  the  Administration  Building,  over 
there,  asleep  for  all  time  to  come,  you  will  notice  that  grim 
implement  of  death,  the  dreaded  garrote,  by  means  of 
which  time-honored  Spanish  instrument  of  torture,  the 
well-founded  wails  and  complaints  of  hundreds  of  guile- 
less Filipinos  were  silenced  forever. 

"Let  us  leave  old  Bilibid  with  its  sad  history  and  fol- 
low the  Calle  Cervantes,  out  past  the  hospital  of  San 
Lazaro  to  the  picturesque  Church  of  La  Loma  which  sets 
high  on  the  surrounding  hills  overlooking  Manila  and  the 
bay.  San  Lazaro  was  the  home  of  the  lepers  until  a  few 
years  ago  when  they  were  transferred  to  the  fertile  island 
of  Culion,  with  all  the  care  and  comforts  that  a  generous 
government  could  provide. 

"It  is  said  that  leprosy  was  unknown  in  the  islands 
until  1602,  when  the  Great  Shogun,  Ieyasu  of  Japan, 
sent  a  ship-load  to  the  Philippines  on  hearing  that  the 
good  friars  loved  to  care  for  the  sick  and  afflicted.     This 

[24] 


RAMBLES  THROUGH  OLD  MANILA 

grim  joke  will  be  appreciated  by  those  who  know  the  true 
history  which  led  to  this  act.  About  that  time  the  friars 
of  the  Philippines  flocked  to  Japan  to  convert  the  heathen. 
The  shogun  had  no  objection  to  the  religious  motive  of 
the  friars,  but  feared  their  political  tendencies  and  possible 
governmental  control  later.  He  said  he  had  noticed  this 
invariable  tendency  of  the  Church  in  other  countries  where 
its  creed  had  taken  root  and  for  this  reason,  it  is  said, 
ordered  their  banishment  from  the  empire.  The  holy 
fathers  protested  they  came  because  they  loved  to  care  for 
the  sick  and  afflicted.  Ieyasu  was  far-sighted;  the  friars 
were  returned  to  the  Philippines  and  with  them  the  ship- 
load of  lepers. 

"We  will  now  drive  down  to  the  barrio  of  Tondo,  the 
dirtiest  but  most  populous  in  the  city.  Here  we  will  find 
one  of  the  great  cocking-mains  of  the  city,  centre  of  a  vice 
which  has  become  the  curse  of  the  race,  the  chief  barrier 
to  its  prosperity  and  general  improvement.  Most  un- 
fortunately this  besetting  sin  was  encouraged  both  by  State 
and  Church,  partly  because  its  revenues  brought  wealth 
and  partly  because  the  slogan  with  the  Government  had 
ever  been  'Amuse  the  Indian,  but  keep  him  poor  and 
ignorant. ' 

1 '  Not  far  from  the  old  Tondo  church  which  you  see  over 
there  towards  the  bay,  stands  the  house  of  Andres  Boni- 
facio, where  the  famous  Katipunan  society  originated. 
After  the  banishment  of  Rizal  to  Dapitan,  Mindanao,  and 
loss  of  his  powerful  influence  together  with  the  suppression 
of  the  Liga  de  los  Filipinos,  Bonifacio  organized  the  society 
of  the  Katipunan,  which  rapidly  extended  among  thousands 
of  natives  in  the  provinces  and  eventually  became  a  menace 
to  the  Government.  The  ritual  of  the  order  was  copied 
from  certain  forms  of  freemasonry,  which  was  more  or  less 
popular  in  the  islands  at  the  time,  together  with  the  Pacto 
de  Sangre,  the  Oath  of  Blood.  The  monastic  orders  were 
instructed  by  Nozelado,  at  the  time  archbishop  of  the  archi- 
pelago, to  ferret  out  the  meeting-places  of  its  members 
,     [25] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

in  order  that  they  might  be  brought  to  justice.  Through 
the  confessional  Padre  Mariano  Gil  secured  information 
from  the  wife  of  a  member  that  a  meeting  was  to  take  place 
that  very  night  at  her  home.  The  place  was  surrounded 
and  more  than  a  hundred  men  captured  and  taken  to 
Fort  Santiago.  It  was  a  portion  of  these  men  who  died 
of  suffocation  that  night  in  the  old  fortress,  of  which  I 
spoke  this  morning.  The  remaining  members  fled  the  city 
in  every  direction  and  thus  began  the  movement  which  led 
to  the  engagement  shortly  afterwards  at  San  Juan  del 
Monte,  the  battle  at  Imus  under  Aguinaldo,  and  the  subse- 
quent treaty  of  Biac-nabato,  where  the  Insurrectionary 
leaders  were  paid  $400,000  to  keep  a  peace  they  never 
kept. 

"I  spoke  incidentally  of  the  insanitary  condition  of 
Tondo  on  the  arrival  of  the  Americans.  Manila  was  in  a 
highly  insanitary  condition  all  over,  but  this  barrio  was 
positively  filthy.  The  cleaning  process  to  which  Manila 
was  subjected  and  the  results  which  followed  will  ever 
remain  one  of  the  greatest  triumphs  of  American  energy 
and  enterprise  in  the  Orient.  At  this  time  bubonic  plague 
was  general,  smallpox  and  leprosy  commonly  observed 
on  the  streets,  and,  to  cap  the  climax,  Asiatic  cholera  sud- 
denly leapt  across  the  China  Sea  from  Hong  Kong.  The 
Board  of  Health  sat  night  and  day  for  months,  sanitary 
inspecting  squads  were  organized,  and  rigid  measures  en- 
forced through  laws  and  city  ordinances. 

"No  one  can  understand  how  an  epidemic  of  such  ter- 
rible malignancy  as  that  which  visited  the  islands  in  1902 
was  kept  under  such  wonderful  control  unless  one  makes 
a  careful  study  of  the  work  of  the  Board  of  Health  at  the 
time.  During  previous  epidemics  as  many  as  3,000  deaths 
occurred  in  Manila  in  a  single  day.  With  a  larger  pop- 
ulation and  sanitary  conditions  equally  bad,  there  was 
never  a  day  when  the  deaths  exceeded  thirty  or  forty  dur- 
ing this  epidemic.  It  must  be  remembered  that  at  this 
time  there  was  no  sewer  system,  the  slops  were  thrown 

[26] 


The  Army  Club,  Camp  McKinley,  near  Manila 


Fort  Santiago  and  Anda  monument,  Manila 


RAMBLES   THROUGH  OLD  MANILA 

around  the  premises  of  the  houses  and  the  natives  ate 
with  their  fingers  which  frequently  were  infected.  In 
order  to  obtain  results,  rigid  measures  became  necessary, 
cleanliness  was  enforced,  modern  sanitary  methods  car- 
ried out. 

"During  previous  epidemics  church  processions  to  San 
Roque  and  the  sale  of  amulets  were  the  order  of  the  day. 
The  friars  were  open  enemies  of  the  Americans  and  still 
had  sufficient  influence  with  the  ignorant  and  superstitious 
native  to  make  him  believe  that  the  Board  of  Health  had 
entered  into  collusion  with  the  Evil  One.  There  was  no 
cooperation  and  consequently  the  Board  had  an  uphill 
fight.  The  native  did  not  mind  the  visitation  of  cholera, 
plague  or  smallpox — why  should  he?  They  were  pen- 
ances sent  by  God  as  punishment  for  his  religious  dere- 
lictions and  shortcomings,  or  perhaps  because  they  had 
failed  to  make  more  liberal  contributions  to  the  church, 
and  finally  because  they  had  been  on  friendly  relations 
with  the  heretical  Americans  who  were  ostracized  from  the 
society  of  all  honest  and  decent  Christian  people. 

"Besides  the  native  was  a  fatalist  and  was  satisfied 
that,  do  what  he  would,  nothing  could  stave  off  the  evil 
hour  of  death.  A  Filipino,  executed  a  few  months  ago 
at  Bilibid  for  murder,  struck  the  key-note  to  this  all- 
prevailing  belief  among  the  Filipinos  when  he  said,  'It 
was  my  destiny  to  destroy.  I  could  not  escape  from  the 
commission  of  crime.  It  is  in  the  blood  of  the  Malay  and 
was  born  in  my  ancestors  who  came  from  the  foot  of 
the  Himalaya  Mountains  ages  ago.  God  has  placed  the 
ban  on  our  people  and,  try  as  we  may,  we  cannot  avert 
what  is  to  be.  Do  what  you  will  with  my  poor  body  in 
the  way  of  punishment,  you  are  only  making  me  atone 
for  the  sins  of  my  forefathers.' 

"Well,  gentlemen,  it  is  getting  late  and,  in  order  to 
finish  our  day's  itinerary  in  time  for  dinner,  we  must 
hurry  along.  We  have  not  shown  our  guest  the  Governor 's 
Palace,  so  we  will  proceed  to  the  Malacanan  via  the  Boule- 

[27] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

vard  Iris.  This  commodious  residence  of  the  Spanish 
Governor-general  occupies,  as  you  see,  large  shaded 
grounds  and  is  located  on  the  banks  of  the  Pasig  River 
just  opposite  the  village  of  Pandacan,  which  was  noted 
as  a  cemetery  for  the  living  during  the  insurrection. 

"You  look  surprised,  Mr.  Rhodes;  but,  like  the  Queen 
of  Sheba,  who  spoke  of  King  Solomon,  the  half  has  not 
been  told.  Yes,  quite  a  number  of  natives  were  bagged 
right  here  in  Manila  and  buried  alive  by  the  insurrectos, 
simply  because  they  had  become  American  sympathizers 
and  assisted  our  government.  You  can  form  no  idea  at 
this  peaceful  date  of  the  difficulties  we  had  in  putting 
down  the  Insurrection  with  practically  the  entire  Filipino 
race  arrayed  against  us  actively  or  passively. 

"As  we  pass  over  the  Ayala  Bridge,  please  observe  that 
large  rain  tree  on  the  island  in  the  Pasig  River,  upon 
which  is  built  the  insane  asylum.  You  will  notice  that 
the  island  is  connected  with  this  bridge,  which  is  famil- 
iarly known  as  the  Crooked  Bridge,  because  on  our  arrival 
it  made  an  angle  at  the  juncture  of  the  asylum  entrance. 

"I  was  about  to  tell  you  that  during  one  of  the  skirm- 
ishes between  our  troops  and  the  Filipinos,  a  number  of 
our  men  were  shot  down  on  the  other  side  of  the  bridge 
near  the  great  Germinal  Cigar  Factory  which  you  see 
over  there.  The  enemy  not  being  visible,  our  men  began 
a  search  for  the  point  of  concealment  and  finally  discoverd 
that  the  fire  proceeded  from  the  top  of  that  large  rain 
tree  behind  the  chapel  of  the  asylum.  A  file  of  the  men 
made  a  detour  by  crossing  the  river  a  short  distance  be- 
low, and  finally  got  in  rear  of  the  enemy  above  the  island. 
A  lanky  Tennessean  who  was  with  the  party  brought  the 
sharpshooter  down  from  the  tree  by  a  lucky  shot,  when, 
lo  and  behold!  he  turned  out  to  be  a  native  woman,  a 
veritable  'Joan  of  Arc  of  the  twentieth  century. 

"From  my  experience  with  the  men  and  women  of  the 
Philippine  Islands,  I  am  willing  to  believe  that,  had  the 
women  gone  into  the  trenches  and  the  men  remained  home 

[28] 


RAMBLES   THROUGH  OLD  MANILA 

with  the  children,  the  war  would  have  been  going  on  yet. 
Yes,  the  Filipino  women  are  far  superior  to  the  men,  for 
they  embody  all  that  is  good,  courageous,  and  enterprising 
in  the  race. 

"This  poor  patriotic  woman  may  have  tried  to  emulate 
unhappy  Rizal's  widow,  a  pretty  Irish  lassie  in  the 
twenties,  who  swore  vengeance  against  the  Spaniards  and 
immediately  after  the  execution  of  her  husband  took  the 
field  with  Aguinaldo's  army.  It  is  said  that,  unassisted, 
she  killed  two  Spanish  officers  at  the  battle  of  Imus 
in  1896. 

"Well,  gentlemen,  we  have  reached  the  club-  and  I 
trust  that  I  have  acquitted  myself  with  credit  as  a  guide. ' ' 

"Major,  you  have  done  well  for  an  amateur,"  replied 
the  Judge,  "and  I  am  sure  Mr.  Rhodes  will  join  me  in  ex- 
tending our  thanks." 

"I  certainly  have  enjoyed  my  trip  through  Manila 
under  the  Major's  guidance  and  only  regret  that  I  am  not 
able  to  spend  an  entire  week  with  you  both  in  looking  over 
the  nooks  and  crannies  of  historic  Old  Manila." 

"I  am  afraid  you  will  have  to  postpone  further  investi- 
gation until  you  visit  the  Philippines  again,  Mr.  Rhodes,  ■ ' 
said  the  Judge,  "for  to-morrow,  at  noon,  we  sail  for  the 
Land  of  the  Rising  Sun. ' ' 


[29] 


CHAPTER  IV 

FAREWELL  TO  MANILA 

The  Arrival  and  Departure  of  the  Monthly  Transport 

—  Return  to  the  Homeland  —  The  Army  Transport 
Service  —  State  Galleons  or  Naos  de  Acapulco  — 
The  Military  Order  op  the  Carabao  —  The  Farewell 
Wallow  —  Song  to  the  Carabao  —  The  Government 
Dougherty  and  Army  Mule  —  The  Sick  Passenger 

—  Farewell  to  Manila. 

THE  monthly  arrival  of  an  army  transport  from  San 
Francisco,  or  the  departure  of  one  from  Manila  for 
the  homeland,  marks  one  of  the  most  important  and  ex- 
citing events  of  military  life  in  the  Philippines  at  the 
present  time,  since  the  Insurrection  is  over  and  peace 
reigns  throughout  the  islands.  Months  in  advance  the 
sailing  dates  of  regiments  that  will  have  completed  their 
term  of  tropical  service  in  the  Philippines  are  fixed  by 
the  War  Department,  as  well  as  that  of  the  officers  and 
enlisted  men  belonging  to  the  different  staff  corps  who 
likewise  have  completed  theirs.  In  addition  to  the  above 
a  large  number  of  men  are  ordered  home  for  discharge, 
furlough,  and  transfer  as  patients  to  the  General  Hospital 
at  the  Presidio  of  San  Francisco. 

Besides  the  officers,  enlisted  men,  officers'  and  soldiers' 
families,  and  servants,  who  are  entitled  to  transportation, 
applications  are  favorably  considered,  when  there  are 
extra  accommodations,  from  officers  of  the  navy  and  the 
marines,  members  of  the  civil  service,  government  em- 
ployees, and  their  families.  So  one  can  readily  imagine 
the  great  variety  of  passengers  to  be  found  in  the  sailing 

[30] 


FAREWELL  TO  MANILA 

list  of  an  army  transport  homeward  bound  from  the 
Philippines. 

During  the  spring  and  summer  months  a  large  number 
of  officers  and  their  families  visit  Japan  and  are  furnished 
transportation  as  far  as  Nagasaki,  the  only  Japanese  port 
touched  by  our  transports  on  the  homeward  trip. 

Those  conversant  with  the  early  history  of  the  Philippine 
Islands  will  recall  the  annual  sailing  of  the  State  galleons, 
the  Naos  de  Acapulco,  which,  for  two  centuries  or  more, 
were  sent  home  by  the  colonial  government  via  Mexico, 
laden  with  officials,  soldiers,  civil  passengers,  and  articles 
of  commerce,  which  in  a  way  corresponds  to  our  transport 
service  of  to-day. 

For  weeks  in  advance  of  the  sailing  date,  officers  and 
their  families,  enlisted  men  and  others,  who  had  secured 
passage,  were  gathered  in  Manila  from  the  southern 
islands  and  distant  provinces,  preparatory  to  the  day  of 
departure.  As  a  result  of  this  influx  of  strangers  the 
hotels  and  boarding-houses,  as  well  as  the  homes  of  hos- 
pitable friends,  were  tested  to  their  utmost  capacity.  All 
of  the  rooms  in  the  Army  and  Navy  Club  were  doubly 
and  trebly  occupied,  while  extra  cots  filled  the  halls  and 
every  unoccupied  nook  and  cranny  about  the  building. 
The  many  inconveniences  entailed  by  the  overcrowding 
were  entirely  overlooked  by  the  eager  travellers,  for  they 
were  going  home,  back  to  loved  ones  and  to  "God's  own 
country. ' ' 

Army  and  navy  men,  and  the  women  as  well,  are  good 
travellers  and  in  the  course  of  their  lives  become  accus- 
tomed to  long  absences  from  home  and  friends  and  easily 
adapt  themselves  to  the  new  station,  wherever  it  may  be. 
Should  you  misjudge  their  desire  to  return  to  the  home- 
land through  your  association  with  them  in  the  Philip- 
pines where  everything  may  appear  to  be  as  merry  as  a 
marriage  bell,  just  mention  the  fact  that  orders  have  been 
received  sending  them  home  and  watch  the  effect.  Why, 
the  most  confirmed  bridge-whist  devotee  among  the  ladies 

[31] 


ON  LEAVE   IN  JAPAN 

would  throw  down  a  perfect  no-trump  hand  to  run  home 
and  begin  packing. 

The  incoming  and  outgoing  of  an  army  transport  re- 
sults in  a  regular  gala  week  for  Manilaites  and  a  profitable 
financial  fiesta  for  the  hotelman  and  shopkeeper. 

Before  6  a.m.  I  had  been  awakened  by  the  noise 
and  bustle  of  my  prospective  shipmates,  who  were  pre- 
paring for  the  journey,  and  found  myself  in  anything 
but  an  amiable  frame  of  mind,  probably  for  the  reason 
that  I  had  retired  at  3  a.m.  the  night  before  after  spend- 
ing an  evening  with  the  Carabaos. 

In  accordance  with  a  time-honored  custom  this  mili- 
tary order  had  given  a  wallow  to  the  departing  members 
of  the  herd.  The  Carabaos  represent  a  military  society 
composed  of  commissioned  officers  who  were  on  active 
duty  in  the  Philippines  during  the  Insurrection,  which 
officially  ended  on  the  fifth  of  July,  1902.  The  name  Car- 
abao  was  adopted  in  honor  of  the  water-buffalo  of  the 
islands,  a  beast  possessed  of  great  patience  and  many  use- 
ful qualities,  for  as  a  draft  animal  he  is  the  reliance  of 
the  Far  East.  Without  his  patient  willingness  and  en- 
during brawn,  few  of  the  army  supplies,  including  the 
necessary  rations  of  the  men,  would  ever  have  reached 
their  destination  in  the  field.  In  other  words,  the  Carabao 
assumed  the  duties  of  the  government  mule  in  field  trans- 
portation during  the  Insurrection,  and  through  his  honest 
and  patient  services  endeared  himself  to  the  army  in  the 
Philippines. 

Instead  of  a  lodge,  the  order  assembles  in  a  corral, 
and  in  place  of  a  meeting  holds  a  wallow.  Apart  from  its 
military  significance,  the  society  is  noted  for  fun,  humor, 
and  good  fellowship.  The  presiding  officer  has  the  title 
of  the  Grand  Paramount,  while  the  effective  officer  during 
the  wallow  is  the  Bombinero,  who  has  authority,  at  any 
stage  of  the  proceedings,  to  call  the  herd  to  refreshments. 
Sometimes  during  the  most  serious  deliberations  of  the 
Chief  of  the  Herd,  Horn  Winder,  or  the  Chief  of  Mud, 

[32] 


> 

m 

o 
> 
2 


^ 

I 


FAREWELL  TO  MANILA 

on  matters  of  the  utmost  importance,  the  Bombinero  may 
call  the  herd  to  the  trough  to  slake  a  thirst  which  threat- 
ens the  lives  of  its  members.  A  few  stanzas  of  an  ode 
to  the  patron  saint  of  the  order,  which  is  always  sung 
during  a  wallow,  is  reverentially  inserted. 

THE  CARABAO 

Patron  Saint  of  the  Illustrious  Order  of  the  Carabao 

Oh!  Carabao,  Old  Carabao, 
Before  they  e'er  could  strike  a  blow 
Invading  armies  must  await 
Upon  thy  slow  and  measured  gait. 

For  who  can  say  that  in  his  hand 
Abides  the  power  at  thy  command? 
'T  is  in  thy  mighty  force  to  wield 
The  fate  of  armies  in  the  field. 

While  many  hundred  men  might  fall, 
And  Luzon  scarce  would  miss  them  all, 
Should  aught  thy  laden  train  betide, 
Disaster  follows  far  and  wide. 

Oh!  Carabao,  Old  Carabao, 

Great  monarch  of  the  road  art  thou; 

Thy  value  rests  in  merit  plain, 

Old  toiler  through  the  mud  and  rain. 

Well  bearest  thou  thy  lowly  part, 
No  weakness  knows  thy  giant  heart; 
With  thy  broad  horn  a  single  blow, 
Well  could'st  thou  lay  thy  master  low. 

Yet  all  thy  strength  thou  bindest  still, 
To  slave  and  suffer  at  his  will ; 
And  steady  draw  the  weary  load, 
Till  death  o'ertakes  thee  on  the  road. 

3  [33] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

Oh!  Carabao,  Old  Carabao, 
Well  could  we  place  upon  thy  brow, 
A  laurel  wreath  for  work  well  done, 
In  driving  storm  and  scorching  sun. 

In  speaking  of  the  question  of  land  transportation  in 
the  Philippines,  I  think  it  only  fair  to  inform  the  Amer- 
ican people  about  our  superb  army  transport  service,  for 
I  believe  the  average  American  citizen  knows  as  much 
about  it  as  I  did  before  I  reached  Manila,  and  that  cer- 
tainly was  very  little.  Before  the  war  with  Spain  we 
had  no  use  for  army  transports  for,  with  the  exception 
of  a  few  companies  of  infantry  on  duty  in  Alaska,  our 
troops  were  stationed  in  the  United  States. 

As  soon  as  war  was  declared,  however,  the  transporta- 
tion of  troops  and  supplies  to  Cuba  became  paramount  and 
the  problem  temporarily  solved  by  chartering  all  manner 
of  steam-craft,  many  of  which  were  scarcely  fit  for  freight- 
ing cattle.  By  means  of  poorly  equipped  ships  of  this 
class,  for  which  the  Government  paid  outrageously  high 
prices,  our  troops  were  likewise  transported  to  Porto  Rico, 
Honolulu,  Guam,  and  the  Philippine  Islands. 

After  Spain  had  unloaded  her  colonies  on  us  and  the 
transportation  of  troops  across  seas  became  a  permanent 
service,  the  Government  very  wisely  purchased  the  entire 
fleet  belonging  to  the  Atlantic  Transportation  Company, 
which  owned  a  number  of  stanch  steamers  engaged  in 
freighting  live-stock  to  Europe.  These  vessels  were  thor- 
oughly overhauled,  fitted  up,  and  converted  into  the  most 
up-to-date  troop-ships  that  were  ever  placed  in  commission, 
and  that  is  saying  a  great  deal,  for  it  must  be  remembered 
that  England,  France,  Germany,  Holland,  Italy,  and  Rus- 
sia have  for  many  years  employed  transports  for  their 
colonial  service  and  were  presumed  to  be  experts  in  their 
construction. 

The  newly  remodelled  ships  were  christened  the  Thomas, 
Sheridan,  Sherman,  Logan,  Grant,  Buford,  Meade,  Han- 

[34] 


FAREWELL  TO  MANILA 

cock,  McClellan,  KUpatrick,  and  Sumner,  in  honor  of 
some  of  our  general  officers  who  distinguished  themselves 
during  the  war  between  the  North  and  the  South. 
Now  that  the  army  in  the  Philippines  has  been  reduced  to 
a  few  thousand  men  and  entirely  removed  from  Cuba, 
it  has  become  necessary  to  reduce  the  transport  service, 
so  that  many  of  them,  like  their  honored  namesakes,  re- 
main only  in  the  grateful  memory  of  those  whose  country 
they  so  gallantly  served  in  time  of  need.  The  Thomas, 
Sheridan,  Sherman,  Logan,  and  Crook  are  still  on  the 
regular  schedule  to  Manila  from  San  Francisco,  while  the 
KUpatrick,  Meade,  Buford,  and  Sumner  are  out  of  com- 
mission and  idly  lying  at  their  buoys  at  San  Francisco  or 
Newport  News,  waiting  —  who  knows  when  ?  —  for  a  call  to 
the  East  again. 

I  must  not  forget  to  mention  that  the  Government  has 
very  wisely  stationed  three  of  our  smaller  transports  in 
Philippine  waters,  the  Warren,  Liscum,  and  Wright, 
where  they  are  performing  a  most  useful  purpose  in 
transporting  army  passengers  and  supplies  from  Manila 
to  the  various  ports  of  the  archipelago.  The  larger  troop- 
ships are  capable  of  transporting  two  thousand  enlisted 
men,  one  to  one  hundred  and  fifty  cabin  passengers,  be- 
sides five  or  six  thousand  tons  of  supplies. 

During  the  alteration  of  the  transports  the  Government 
spared  no  expense  in  making  them  comfortable  and  sani- 
tary. The  men  were  provided  with  an  excellent  system 
of  superimposed  iron  bunks,  located  in  large  squad  rooms 
between  well  ventilated  decks.  Each  bunk  is  provided 
with  a  good  cotton  mattress,  sheets,  and  pillows,  so  that 
the  men  are  insured  most  excellent  sleeping  arrangements 
on  the  long  voyages,  which  in  some  instances  have  taken 
two  months.  Each  ship  has  likewise  been  provided  with 
an  abundance  of  shower  baths  and  modern  closets  fitted 
up  in  apartments  with  tiled  floors  and  marble  wainscoting. 

The  ice-plants  and  cold-storage  rooms  were  constructed 
with  a  view  to  the  transportation  of  beef  and  other  per- 

[35] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

ishable  supplies  necessary  for  the  troops  serving  in  the 
tropics,  so  that  the  men  are  thus  enabled  to  enjoy  the  best 
food  en  route. 

A  well-regulated,  modern  hospital  occupies  the  most 
comfortable  portion  of  the  ship  for  those  needing  its  serv- 
ices en  route  to  the  islands,  or  for  the  accommodation  of 
our  brave  and  faithful  men  wounded  in  hostile  action,  or 
who  have  contracted  tropical  diseases  through  exposure  in 
camp  and  field. 

Nothing  has  been  omitted  by  our  generous  Government 
to  lighten  the  burden  of  the  officers  and  men  who  are  sup- 
porting Old  Glory  in  the  Far  East,  and  every  one  who 
was  fortunate  enough  to  have  been  a  passenger  on  the 
Thomas  when  she  made  her  maiden  trip  to  Manila  in  the 
Fall  of  1899,  will  remember  with  the  greatest  pleasure 
how  the  eyes  of  our  English  cousins  were  opened  when 
they  inspected  her  while  lying  at  Gibraltar. 

The  quartermaster  who  had  superintended  her  altera- 
tion was  in  charge  at  the  time,  and  no  doubt  keenly  en- 
joyed the  manifest  surprise  on  the  faces  of  the  English 
general  and  staff,  as  he  showed  them  about  the  ship. 
"When  they  had  reached  his  well-appointed  offices,  fur- 
nished in  polished  mahogany,  with  handsome  desks,  dis- 
appearing typewriting  machines,  electric  fans,  and  a  well- 
stocked  ice-box,  the  contents  of  which  were  generously 
passed  around  by  the  courteous  host,  they  unconditionally 
surrendered  and  freely  acknowledged  that  Uncle  Sam  had 
far  outclassed  all  other  nations  in  army  troop-ships. 

This  magnificent  fleet  is  under  the  direct  control  of  the 
quartermaster's  department  of  the  army,  although  navi- 
gated by  a  civil  service  sailing-master  and  crew.  The 
quartermaster,  who  is  detailed  by  the  War  Department, 
has  entire  charge  of  everything  connected  with  the  ship, 
except  its  navigation,  and  particularly  looks  after  the  ship- 
ping of  the  troops  and  passengers,  assignment  of  cabins, 
care  and  preparation  of  the  food,  and  the  cleanliness  and 
sanitation  of  the  ship. 

[36] 


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S 


FAREWELL  TO  MANILA 

I  have  travelled  across  the  Atlantic  several  times  on  the 
best-equipped  transatlantic  liners,  over  the  China,  East 
Indian,  and  Arabian  seas,  on  first-class  English  and 
French  steamers  and  am  prepared  to  state  that  for  solid 
comfort,  pleasure,  and  security  in  the  way  of  ocean  travel, 
nothing  excels  our  army  transport  service,  so  let  us  take 
off  our  hats  to  good  old  Uncle  Sam  and  the  transport 
quartermaster. 

Breakfast  at  the  club  was  finally  over  and  the  race  for 
the  steamer,  which  was  to  sail  at  noon,  began.  Every 
conceivable  class  of  wheel  transportation  was  on  hand  out- 
side the  club,  from  an  unassuming  carromato  to  the  lordly 
touring-car  of  one  of  Manila's  merchant  princes  or  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Civil  Commission.  In  fact  the  collection  of 
vehicles  surrounding  the  club  reminded  the  visitor  of  a 
district  fair  in  the  Orient.  Prominently  conspicuous 
among  them  were  a  number  of  time-honored  Dougherties 
and  escort  wagons,  which  were  ordered  out  for  the  use  of 
the  officers  and  families  returning  home. 

It  was  my  good  fortune  to  drive  to  the  wharf  in  an  old- 
fashioned  government  Dougherty,  behind  four  of  the  snap- 
piest mules  I  have  ever  seen.  The  drive  through  the 
walled  city  out  through  the  Postigo  gate  and  down  the 
Malecon  to  the  wharf  was  of  only  a  few  moments'  dura- 
tion, but  that  brief  period,  short  as  it  was,  will  never  be 
effaced  from  my  memory. 

Any  one  who  has  failed  to  travel  in  a  Dougherty  wagon 
has  never  enjoyed  one  of  the  real  pleasures  of  life  and  one 
of  the  genuine  refinements  of  wheel  transportation.  He 
has  missed  something  which  has  left  a  hiatus  in  his  life 
and  a  blank  that  can  never  be  filled  until  he  finds  himself 
at  last  safely  seated  in  one  of  these  classical  army  chariots, 
behind  four  snappy,  faithful,  and  patriotic  government 
mules,  such  as  for  generations  have  been  the  friend  of  the 
army  at  frontier  posts  and  his  ally  in  conducting  cam- 
paigns against  the  hostile  Indian  from  Canada  to  the  Mex- 
ican border. 

[37] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

On  my  arrival  at  the  wharf  in  company  with  my  friends, 
the  Judge  and  the  Major,  I  found  half  of  Manila  there 
to  bid  their  friends  adieu  and  wish  them  a  bon  voyage. 
It  was  indeed  a  remarkable  assemblage  which  met  my 
gaze,  one  not  easily  forgotten.  Leaning  over  the  rail  on 
the  main  deck  were  to  be  seen  the  bronzed  but  happy  faces 
of  hundreds  of  the  young  veterans,  who  had  finished  their 
tour  and  were  going  home  to  mothers,  sweethearts,  and 
loved  ones.  Above,  on  the  hurricane  deck,  were  the  wives 
and  families  of  the  officers  and  their  friends  who  came  to 
say  farewell.  A  few  young  Filipino  boys  who  were  re- 
turning with  officers  to  whom  they  had  become  attached 
while  serving  as  muchachos  were  among  the  crowd.  Here 
and  there  among  the  happy  faces  one  could  easily  detect 
the  tear-stained  eye  of  those  who  were  only  waiting  to  bid 
some  loved  one  good-bye. 

Sitting  apart  from  the  others,  I  noticed  the  pale  and 
sickly  face  of  a  woman  who,  too,  was  going  home,  although 
she  appeared  to  be  on  the  eve  of  departing  to  that  eternal 
home  from  which  no  traveller  returns.  I  asked  the  Major 
whether  he  considered  it  safe  for  her  to  undertake  the 
long  journey.  "I  think  it  very  doubtful,"  he  replied, 
"whether  she  lives  until  the  ship  reaches  Japan,  but  she 
wanted  to  go  and  the  commanding  general  ordered  her  to 
be  taken  aboard  in  spite  of  the  unfavorable  report  of  the 
medical  officers.  You  may  not  be  aware  of  the  fact," 
continued  the  Major,  "that  during  the  early  occupancy 
of  the  Islands,  there  was  a  regular  stampede  among  the 
sick  to  go  home  and,  through  the  sympathy  of  the  surgeons, 
many  were  allowed  to  go,  who  were  really  unable  to  stand 
the  trip  and  consequently  died  at  sea.  Since  then  a  med- 
ical board  has  been  organized  to  report  upon  all  sick  who 
are  recommended  for  the  States. 

"The  commanding  general  would  listen  to  no  arguments 
against  her  going  and  even  ordered  that  an  army  female 
nurse  should  accompany  her  when  he  was  told  that  it  was 
impossible  for  her  to  go  alone.     She  is  the  wife   of  an 

[38] 


FAREWELL  TO  MANILA 

unsuccessful  American  merchant,  who  was  unable  to  pay 
her  passage  on  a  liner  and  had  doubtless  worked  upon 
the  sympathies  of  the  kind-hearted  general.  I  greatly 
fear,  Mr.  Rhodes,"  continued  the  Major,  "that  her  dreams 
of  meeting  friends  at  home  and  of  restoration  to  health 
will  never  be  realized,  for  it  is  my  honest  opinion  before 
the  ship  reaches  the  Golden  Gate  the  good  woman's  soul 
will  already  have  passed  to  its  Maker." 

Five  minutes  before  twelve  the  visiting  friends  of  the 
passengers  were  requested  to  leave  the  ship  and  on  the 
stroke  of  the  hour  "let  go  the  hawsers"  was  ordered  and 
the  stanch  old  ship  glided  quietly  but  gracefully  out  into 
the  harbor  amidst  the  shouts  of  farewell  and  best  wishes 
from  the  crowd  left  behind"  on  the  wharf. 


[39] 


CHAPTER  V 

THE  PICTUEESQUE  ENVIRONMENT  OF  MANILA 

BAY   AND    THE    NATIVE    INSURRECTION 

OF  1896-7 

The  Bay  op  Manila  —  The  Church  op  La  Loma  — 
Shrine  at  Antipolo  —  Our  Lady  op  Good  Voyage  and 
Peace  —  Her  Voyages,  to  Mexico  —  Mount  ArXyat  — 
Alejandrino  and  the  Golden  Bait  —  The  Insurrec- 
tion op  1896  —  Emilio  Aguinaldo  —  Polavieja,  Blan- 
co, and  Rivera  —  Nozaleda  the  Bloodthirsty  — 
Iniquitous  Land  Laws  —  Battle  op  Imus  —  Capture 
op  the  Town  and  Death  op  the  Friars  —  Treaty  op 
Biac-nabat6\ 

COME,  Major,"  said  the  Judge,  "let  us  move  forward 
on  the  upper  deck  with  Mr.  Rhodes  and  point 
out  to  him  the  interesting  points  along  the  coast  en  route 
to  Mariveles." 

The  day  was  clear  and  balmy  and  the  sun  shining  as 
brightly  as  on  a  June  day  in  Arizona,  although  we  were 
in  the  midst  of  the  rainy  season. 

"I  presume,  Major,  that  this  kind  of  weather  must  be 
very  unusual  at  this  season  of  the  year,  or  perhaps  the 
weather  clerk  has  taken  compassion  on  me,  since  I  am  a  ten- 
derfoot in  the  tropics." 

"Not  at  all,"  replied  the  Major,  "we  have  scarcely 
had  any  rainfall  since  the  middle  of  August  and  a  ter- 
rible wail  has  gone  up  all  over  Luzon  among  the  rice 
growers  who  claim  that  the  drouth  will  destroy  the  rice 
crop.     I  have  been  on  duty  in  the  islands,  off  and  on,  since 

[40] 


PICTURESQUE  ENVIRONMENT 

the  American  invasion  and  have  frequently  observed  ex- 
tended dry  periods  during  the  rainy  season.  The  natives 
say,  however,  that  this  condition  has  only  existed  since 
the  coming  of  the  Yankees  who,  they  claim,  have  changed 
everything,  including  the  climate.  I  do  not  think  any 
change  has  really  occurred,  since  I  have  learned  that,  not 
unfrequently,  there  were  failures  in  the  rice  crop  from 
the  same  cause  during  Spanish  domination.  On  account 
of  these  protracted  dry  periods  during  the  wet  season  the 
government  is  working  on  plans  to  install  an  irrigation 
system  throughout  the  islands." 

Our  transport,  which  had  but  recently  come  out  of  the 
docks  in  San  Francisco,  was  in  excellent  sailing  trim  and 
within  a  short  ten  minutes  after  leaving  the  wharf  had 
passed  through  the  breakwater  and  was  slowly  steaming 
towards  Corregidor. 

The  Bay  of  Manila,  at  the  head  of  which  lies  the  capital 
city,  extends  thirty  miles  inland  from  the  China  Sea,  from 
which  it  is  separated  by  Corregidor  Island,  the  Friale,  the 
Monja  and  several  other  rocky  projections  which  afford 
excellent  opportunity  for  fortifications  and  mines  in  case 
of  war. 

The  bay  is  almost  as  wide  as  it  is  long,  so  that  it  prac- 
tically forms  an  inland  sea  surrounded  by  picturesque 
mountains,  fertile  plains,  and  populous  pueblos. 

Behind  Manila  to  the  north  and  west  arises  a  succession 
of  high,  rolling  hills,  crowned  by  the  beautiful  church  of 
La  Loma,  which  stands  up  so  conspicuously  that,  during 
the  early  days  of  the  Insurrection,  it  became  a  target  for 
the  United  States  gunboats  and  even  now  bears  many 
scars  of  shot  and  shell. 

At  that  time  the  Insurrectionary  army  had  extended  its 
lines  from  La  Loma  Church  around  to  Caloocan  on  the 
right  and  Pasay  on  the  left,  which  was  only  a  few  miles 
from  Manila. 

Away  back  beyond  Santa  Mesa  loom  up  the  Caraballo 
Mountains,  a  spur  of  the  Cordilleras  of  the  archipelago, 

[41] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

on  which  is  located  the  famous  town  of  Antipolo  and  the 
holy  shrine  of  '  ■  Our  Lady  of  Good  Voyage  and  Peace. ' ' 

There  are  a  large  number  of  wonderful  shrines  through- 
out the  Philippines,  but  this  is  by  far  the  most  popular 
and  miraculous  of  them  all.  The  image,  which  is  made 
of  brass,  was  brought  from  Mexico  in  a  State  galleon  by 
Governor  Juan  Nino  de  Tabora,  in  the  year  1626,  and 
during  the  voyage  calmed  a  tempest  which  imperilled  the 
safety  of  the  ship.  On  arrival  in  Manila  it  was  received 
with  salvos  of  artillery,  ringing  of  bells,  and  extensive 
street  processions. 

The  governor  built  the  original  church  for  her  at  Anti- 
polo  and  it  is  stated  in  the  church  chronicles  that  during 
its  construction  the  Virgin  was  seen  quite  frequently  to 
ascend  from  the  altar  to  the  flowery  branches  of  a  neigh- 
boring tree  called  by  natives  Antipolo,  from  which  she  is 
commonly  known  as  the  "Virgin  of  Antipolo." 

During  the  year  1639  the  Chinese  living  in  Manila  rebelled 
against  the  Spanish  authorities  and  attacked  the  sanctuary 
in  which  reposed  this  Holy  Virgin,  believing  that  she  was 
their  protectress,  and  cast  her  into  the  flames.  When  all 
else  was  reduced  to  ashes,  she  arose  from  the  flames  intact, 
resplendent  in  her  beautiful  hair,  lace,  ribbons,  and  other 
adornments,  without  a  blemish. 

She  was  again  sent  to  sea  and  made  half  a  dozen  voyages 
to  Mexico  and  back,  calming  tempests  and  keeping  off 
Dutch  and  English  buccaneers.  She  made  her  final  trip 
from  Mexico  in  1672  and  was  then  conveyed  joyously  to 
her  resting-place  in  the  church  at  Antipolo. 

It  is  stated  by  the  church  chronicles  that  on  her  return 
along  the  road  back  to  her  mountain  home  "there  was 
not  a  flower  which  did  not  greet  her  by  opening  its  bud, 
not  a  mountain  stream  which  remained  silent,  whilst  the 
breeze's  and  the  rivulets  poured  forth  their  silent  murmur- 
ing of  ecstasy." 

In  spite  of  her  wonderful  power,  however,  a  native  his- 
torian states  that  the  village  of  Antipolo  and  its  neigh- 

[42] 


- 

St 

■  *"! 

■ 

ill  iC* 

> 

PICTURESQUE  ENVIRONMENT 

borhood  is  the  centre  of  brigandage,  the  resort  of  murder- 
ous highwaymen,  and  the  focus  of  crime.  However  that 
may  be,  we  know  that  thousands  of  the  devout  make  a 
pilgrimage  to  Antipolo  every  year  during  the  month  of 
May  and  that  the  net  receipts  for  one  season  to  the  Augus- 
tinian  friars  who  guard  the  shrine  were  300,000  pesos,  which 
after  all  is  not  a  bad  business  considering  the  drouth. 

Off  to  the  north  can  easily  be  seen  the  symmetrical  peak 
of  Mount  Arayat,  miles  away  up  in  the  province  of  Pam- 
panga,  which  the  simple-minded  natives  still  believe  to  be 
the  original  mount  upon  which  the  ark  rested.  Why  should 
they  not  believe  this  to  be  the  scene  of  that  beautiful 
Biblical  legend,  which  has  permeated  all  peoples,  whether 
through  holy  writ  or  tribal  tradition? 

The  good  fathers,  who  had  been  the  shepherds  of  their 
souls  for  three  centuries  and  more  did  not  disillusion  them 
of  their  simple  faith,  but  rather  encouraged  the  idea  and, 
through  their  financial  cooperation  and  labor,  caused  a 
road  with  the  twelve  stations  of  the  cross  to  be  constructed 
up  the  mountain  side,  to  the  summit,  upon  which  stands  a 
handsome  little  church. 

Away  up  on  the  rough  sides  of  Mount  Arayat,  Alejan- 
drino,  a  formidable  insurgent  general,  held  sway  as 
late  as  the  Summer  of  1901.  Although  our  troops  were 
located  all  around  the  mountain  sides,  Alejandrino  would 
swoop  down  upon  the  peaceful  natives,  procure  what  beef 
and  rice  were  necessary  for  his  troops,  then  return  to  his 
mountain  aerie.  General  Funston  and  a  number  of  officers 
tried  in  vain  to  capture  him,  but  finally  the  Government 
threw  out  a  golden  bait,  a  three-thousand-dollar  govern- 
ment position,  which  happily  ended  the  war  in  Pampanga 
as  far  as  Alejandrino  was  concerned. 

Along  the  coast  line  of  the  bay  on  the  left  as  we  ap- 
proach Cavite  and  beginning  at  the  outskirts  of  Manila 
were  plainly  visible  the  spires  of  a  number  of  churches 
which  belong  to  the  towns  of  Pasay,  Paranaque,  Las  Piiias, 
Bacoor,    Binacayan,    Cavite   Viejo,    and   Novalita,    all   of 

[43] 


ON  LEAVE   IN  JAPAN 

which  look  quite  picturesque  peeping  out  from  the  dense 
groves  of  the  royal  cocoanut  palms. 

"All  of  these  pueblos  you  see  over  there,"  remarked 
the  Major,  "are  in  the  Province  of  Cavite,  the  home  of  Ag- 
uinaldo,  and  were  deeply  concerned  in  the  Insurrection  of 
1896.  The  Filipino  people  had  been  unhappy  for  many 
years  and  had  exhibited  their  feelings  on  numerous  occa- 
sions by  small  uprisings.  Ever  since  the  Insurrection  of 
1872,  as  a  result  of  which  many  innocent  Filipinos  were 
shot  and  hundreds  imprisoned  or  banished  to  penal  colo- 
nies, the  spirit  of  the  natives  has  constantly  been  in  a  state 
of  unrest.  There  is  no  doubt  but  that  for  centuries  the 
Filipinos  have  been  a  down-trodden  race,  deprived  of  per- 
sonal liberty,  freedom  of  speech  and  press,  and  opportunity 
to  elevate  themselves  through  education  and  participation 
in  political  and  local  affairs. 

"While  the  natives  did  not  object  to  Spanish  govern- 
ment, they  resented  most  bitterly  the  many  deprivations 
to  which  they  were  subjected  and  endeavored  by  every 
fair  and  honest  measure  to  secure  a  modicum  of  recogni- 
tion by  colonial  authority,  which  was  practically  a  friar 
government.  You  may  remember,  Mr.  Rhodes,  that  after 
the  discovery  of  the  Katipunans  in  Tondo  by  Padre  Mari- 
ano Gil,  the  authorities  made  a  raid  on  the  lodge  that  very 
night  and  captured  over  three  hundred  of  its  members, 
the  remainder  fleeing  to  the  country  and  opening  hostili- 
ties without  delay. 

"Several  months  before  this  outbreak  the  Katipunan  so- 
ciety sent  a  delegation  to  Japan  with  a  petition  signed  by 
5,000  members,  praying  the  Mikado  to  annex  the  islands 
to  his  domain.  The  petition  was  returned  through  the 
Spanish  governor-general,  thus  disclosing  the  names  of  the 
disaffected  natives,  many  of  whom  were  noted  Filipinos 
and  well  known  to  the  authorities. 

"The  first  battle  occurred  at  Caloocan,  which  is  only  a 
few  miles  north  of  Manila,  on  August  26,  1896,  in  which 
3,000  native  insurrectos  were  engaged.     This  was  followed 

[44] 


PICTURESQUE  ENVIRONMENT 

four  days  later  by  the  battle  of  San  Juan  del  Monte,  which 
barrio  adjoins  Manila,  west  of  Santa  Mesa. 

''The  native  troops  were  poorly  armed  during  both  of 
these  battles,  having  only  a  few  guns  and  those  of  an  in- 
ferior kind,  while  the  Spanish  soldiers  were  armed  with 
Mausers.  About  180  natives  were  killed  in  this  engage- 
ment and  a  large  number  taken  prisoners.  The  leaders 
were  shot  and  the  captives  thrown  in  Bilibid  or  Santiago, 
which  practically  amounted  to  a  death  sentence  at  that 
time. 

"It  was  during  this  period  that  Emilio  Aguinaldo  ap- 
peared on  the  political  and  sanguinary  arena.  He  held  the 
highly  lucrative  position  of  a  country  school-teacher  at 
about  twelve  dollars  per  month,  when  he  delivered  his  fa- 
mous proclamation  at  Silang,  a  pueblo  at  the  base  of  Sungay 
Mountains  in  Cavite  Province,  which  can  be  plainly  seen 
as  one  looks  across  over  Bacoor.  The  warmth  and  fervor 
of  this  address,  which  really  reads  like  an  eighth  grade 
schoolboy 's  oration,  drew  the  gent e  to  him  by  the  thousands 
and  began  an  Insurrection  which  practically  ended  at  the 
fall  of  Manila  in  August,  1898.  The  insurgents  took  pos- 
session of  all  the  towns  along  the  coast  which  I  mentioned 
a  few  moments  ago  and  held  them  until  the  arrival  of  Gen- 
eral Polavieja,  four  months  later. 

"At  the  beginning  of  this  uprising,  General  Blanco  was 
governor-general,  and  even  though  he  was  a  Spaniard,  no 
one  can  deny  the  fact  that  he  was  a  liberal-minded  and 
generous-hearted  soldier  and  statesman.  Nozelado  was  the 
archbishop  of  the  Philippines  at  the  time  and,  whether  de- 
servedly or  not,  had  been  given  the  name  of  the  'Blood- 
thirsty.' He  advocated  a  termination  of  the  Insurrection 
by  fire,  sword,  and  the  wholesale  execution  of  the  insur- 
rectos.  He  never  was  in  sympathy  with  Blanco 's  peaceful 
policy  and  succeeded  in  having  him  supplanted  by  Pola- 
vieja, who  was  known  as  the  chosen  Messiah  of  the  friars, 
and  publicly  announced  in  the  Madrid  papers  as  the  'Gen- 
eral Cristiano.'     It  was  Polavieja  who  convened  that  in- 

[45] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

famous  court  martial  which  sentenced  Jose  Rizal,  the  dis- 
tinguished Filipino  statesman  and  patriot,  to  be  executed 
and  signed  the  death  warrant. 

"Blanco  thoroughly  understood  the  Filipino  people,  ap- 
preciated the  conditions  which  drove  them  to  rebellion,  and 
wanted  to  help  them.  He  knew  full  well  that,  with  merely 
a  handful  of  European  troops,  it  was  worse  than  useless 
to  institute  a  campaign  against  them  and  advised  waiting 
until  the  arrival  of  more  soldiers  from  Spain.  But  this 
did  not  suit  the  sanguinary  archbishop,  so  Blanco  had  to 
go. 

"In  the  meanwhile  the  insurrectos,  now  under  the  gener- 
alship of  Aguinaldo,  proceeded  to  capture  the  neighboring 
towns  along  the  bay  and  fortify  them.  Imus,  which  lies 
four  miles  beyond  Bacoor,  was  captured  and  held  for  many 
months.  This  town  lies  in  a  fertile  plain  of  rich  rice  lands, 
several  hundred  thousand  acres  of  which  were  owned  by 
the  Augustinian  friars.  How  they  managed  to  get  pos- 
session of  this  valuable  tract  no  one  seems  to  know.  It  is 
a  well-known  fact,  however,  that  the  monks  had  no  title  to 
the  land,  even  when  it  was  sold  to  the  Government  several 
years  ago. 

"The  majority  of  the  population  of  Imus  were  tenants 
of  the  Church,  even  of  the  very  lot  upon  which  their  huts 
were  built  and  for  which  they  had  to  pay  rent.  The  peo- 
ple were  always  poor  and  lived,  as  it  were,  from  hand  to 
mouth.  When  the  crop  was  harvested,  their  debts  paid, 
and  the  Church  had  taken  its  tithe  for  the  use  of  the  land, 
the  poor  native  farmer  found  himself  in  debt,  a  condition 
from  which  he  never   emerged. 

1 '  The  Spanish  laws  made  a  debtor  the  slave  of  the  cred- 
itor, even  to  the  extent  of  being  jailed.  Moreover,  the 
children  became  responsible  for  the  debts  of  their  father 
or  grandfather  and  thus  for  generations  Philippine  fam- 
ilies were  in  bondage  to  the  owners  of  the  land  upon  which 
they  lived.  Practically  the  entire  population  of  Imus, 
about  twenty  thousand,  were  tenants  of  the   Church   as 

[46] 


PICTURESQUE  ENVIRONMENT 

small  planters,  and  hence  were  doubly  slaves.  Church 
ownership  of  lands  had  for  many  years  been  a  subject 
of  much  dissatisfaction  among  the  natives  and  one  of  the 
causes  of  the  frequent  uprisings. 

"The  capture  of  Imus  and  the  repudiation  of  the  land 
tax  was  the  cause  of  great  rejoicing  among  the  Imusites 
and  they  celebrated  their  victory  in  a  most  barbarous  and 
cruel  manner. 

"The  Augustinians  had  built  a  large  stone  residence  in 
the  town  for  the  use  of  the  administrator  of  the  estate  and 
his  assistants.  The  estate  house  was  located  in  a  ten-acre 
compound  surrounded  by  a  high  stone  wall  which  prac- 
tically made  the  place  a  fortress.  Within  the  compound 
were  located  the  granaries  and  go-downs  in  which  was 
stored  the  grain  belonging  to  the  order. 

"As  soon  as  the  Insurrection  had  fairly  started  in  Cav- 
ite  Province  all  of  the  friars  in  the  neighboring  pueblos 
made  their  way  to  Imus  for  protection.  Fifteen  friars 
assembled  there  and  were  captured  when  Imus  fell  into 
the  hands  of  the  insurrectos,  and  it  is  with  great  regret 
I  have  to  state  that  all  of  them,  except  one,  were  put  to 
death.  That  poor  fellow,  a  specially  large  and  fat  friar, 
escaped  during  the  fight  and  wandered  for  days  in  the  jun- 
gle. When  he  was  rescued  by  the  Spaniards  he  had  become 
a  raving  maniac.  One  of  the  priests  was  cut  to  pieces, 
another  was  saturated  with  petroleum  and  set  on  fire,  while 
a  third  was  roasted  over  a  spit,  a  bamboo  pole  having 
been  run  through  his  body  to  accomplish  the  purpose. 

"It  is  a  blot  on  the  escutcheon  of  the  insurrectos  that 
they  so  cruelly  and  barbarously  treated  their  prisoners 
of  war.  It  may,  however,  be  said  in  their  defence  that 
the  three  friars  in  question,  while  in  power,  had  been  mer- 
ciless in  their  dealings  with  natives  and  had  had  a  number 
of  them  killed  or  expatriated,  so  that  after  all  it  simply 
was  reciprocity. 

"The  Insurrection  dragged  on  for  many  weary  months, 
although  by  this  time  the  Spanish  army  had  been  recruited 

[47] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

up  to  28,000  men.  Poor  old  Polavieja,  who  at  the  onset 
had  made  such  an  energetic  attack  on  the  insurgents,  be- 
came quite  ill  after  the  execution  of  Rizal  and  imagined 
he  saw  his  ghost.  The  condition  of  the  old  fellow  became 
pitiable  finally  and  he  begged  the  central  government  in 
Madrid  to  let  him  go  home.  So  in  April,  1897,  he  left 
for  Spain  and  was  relieved  by  General  Primo  de  Rivera, 
who  on  arrival  issued  a  proclamation  of  amnesty  to  all  who 
would  lay  down  their  arms  within  a  prescribed  period. 

1 '  Through  the  goodly  services  of  Don  Pedro  A.  Paterno, 
an  influential  and  wealthy  Filipino,  overtures  were  made 
to  Aguinaldo  and  his  generals  to  make  a  treaty.  The 
stipulations  were  for  the  Filipinos  to  deliver  up  all  arms 
and  ammunition  and  to  agree  to  an  armistice  for  three 
years,  to  evacuate  all  positions  held  by  them  and  to  con- 
spire no  more.  For  acceding  to  these  demands  Rivera 
promised  to  pay  the  natives  $700,000  for  the  losses  they 
had  sustained,  and  $1,000,000  besides  as  an  honorarium;  he 
promised  that  the  friars  should  be  expelled  and  the  re- 
ligious orders  secularized;  that  the  Filipinos  should  be 
granted  representation  in  Madrid  and  equality  with  the 
Spaniards,  besides  many  reforms  and  a  number  of  other 
minor  provisions  included  in  the  treaty  relative  to  taxes, 
schools,  etc.  It  is  said  that  this  treaty  was  made  in  good 
faith  by  Aguinaldo  and  that  a  payment  of  $400,000  was 
deposited  to  his  credit  in  Hong  Kong.  Aguinaldo  and  a 
number  of  the  leaders  went  to  China  immediately  after 
the  treaty  and  the  Insurrection  was  called  off.  Rivera  left 
shortly  afterwards  for  Spain  where  he  was  received  with 
open  arms  and  publicly  congratulated  by  the  crown. 

"This  famous  arbitration  was  known  as  the  treaty  of 
Biac-nabato,  but  it  was  never  recognized  by  the  Spanish 
Government.  It  is  even  said  that  Rivera  denied  that  he 
had  acceded  to  many  of  the  stipulations  which  the  treaty 
contained. 

"While  the  insurgents  were  occupying  the  pueblos  along 
the    Cavite    coast    Admiral    Montojo    would    occasionally 

[48] 


PICTURESQUE  ENVIRONMENT 

throw  shells  into  their  camp  from  his  battleships  lying  in 
the  bay. 

"Senor  Topacio,  a  highly  respectable  Filipino  now  liv- 
ing in  Imus,  who  participated  in  the  uprising,  informed 
me  that  the  shells  fell  frequently  into  the  rice  paddies  but 
rarely  exploded.  These  were  collected  by  the  insurgents 
who  extracted  the  powder,  of  which  they  stood  in  great 
need  and  by  which  they  were  enabled  to  continue  the  revo- 
lution. When  they  found  their  powder  supply  getting 
low,  they  would  raise  gaudy-colored  flags  along  the  shore 
which  had  the  same  effect  upon  the  Spaniards  that  a  red 
flag  has  on  an  infuriated  bull,  stimulating  them  to  re- 
newed firing  and  more  powder  in  consequence  for  the  in- 
surrectos. 

"After  the  treaty  of  Biac-nabato,  Rivera  reported  that 
hostilities  were  over  and  with  Montojo  and  others  awarded 
medals  and  praises  for  the  splendid  work  of  their  army. 
In  spite  of  Rivera's  report,  however,  there  were  more  hos- 
tile troops  in  the  field  when  he  left  for  Spain  than  ever 
before. ' ' 

By  the  time  the  Major  had  finished  his  account  of  the 
native  Insurrection,  our  good  old  transport  had  cleared 
the  breakwater  and  was  slowly  steaming  down  the  bay, 
with  the  town  of  Cavite  in  our  teeth,  seven  miles  ahead, 
and  numerous  church  spires  appearing  on  our  port  along 
the  palm-fringed  shores  of  the  famous  insurrecto  province 
of  Old  Cavite. 

"And  now,  gentlemen,  as  it  is  a  quarter  to  one  and  a  mon- 
itor within  suggests  the  tiffin  hour,  let  us  go  below. ' ' 


[49] 


CHAPTER  VI 

DEWEY'S  FIGHT  WITH  MONTOJO,  AND  THE  SAIL 
DOWN  THE  BAY  TO  MARIVELES 

The  Battle  on  Manila  Bay  —  The  Episode  between 
Dewey  and  the  German  Admdxal  —  English  Officer's 
Reply  to  German  Admhial  —  The  Composition  of  the 
Spanish  Fleet  —  The  American  Fleet  —  The  FmsT 
Broadsdde  —  Dewey's  Retirement  from  the  Line  of 
Battle  and  Return  —  The  Loss  of  the  Spanish 
Transport  Mindanao  —  The  Spanish  and  American 
Casualties  —  The  Island  of  Corregidor  and  the  Vil- 
lage Harpists  —  The  Loss  of  the  Hooker  —  Arrival 
at  Mariveles. 

YOU  must  not  forget,  Major,"  said  the  Judge,  after 
finishing  tiffin  and  again  reaching  the  upper  deck, 
"that  you  have  been  appointed  official  guide  for  our 
party  and  should  keep  us  posted  on  all  matters  of  in- 
terest." 

Our  transport  had  just  reached  a  point  opposite  the 
town  of  Cavite  and  was  floating  over  the  historic  spot 
where  Dewey  ended  Spanish  supremacy  in  the  Far  East 
forever. 

"You  kindly  gave  us  the  details  of  the  native  uprising 
of  1896  this  forenoon  and  now  I  would  like  very  much  to 
hear  the  particulars  of  Dewey's  great  sea  fight." 

"Yes,  tell  us  about  it,  Major,"  urged  the  Judge,  "the 
circumstances  must  still  be  fresh  in  your  memory,  as  you 
came  over  with  the  first  relief  expedition  shortly  after- 
wards. ' ' 

"Thank  you,  gentlemen,"  replied  the  Major,  "for  the 

[50] 


DEWEY'S  FIGHT  WITH  MONTOJO 

confidence  you  manifest  in  my  historical  knowledge.  The 
events  connected  with  that  dreadful  tragedy  were  thor- 
oughly imprinted  on  my  memory  after  making  an  examina- 
tion of  the  wrecks  of  Montojo's  once  proud  fleet  which 
were  not  removed  for  months  after  my  arrival. 

"Although  the  Spaniards  were  kept  informed  of 
Dewey's  movements  they  did  not  realize  that  he  would 
have  the  temerity  to  attack  them  in  their  stronghold.  Be- 
sides, men-of-war  belonging  to  England,  France,  Germany, 
and  Japan  were  in  the  harbor  at  the  time  and  the  Span- 
iards believed  that  the  combined  nations  would  prevent 
hostile  action  on  the  part  of  the  United  States.  They  did 
not  imagine  that  the  four  great  nations  represented  in  the 
bay  would  allow  Dewey  to  begin  hostile  action  under  any 
circumstances.  Perhaps  they  had  gotten  this  erroneous 
impression  from  the  German  admiral  who  appeared  any- 
thing but  friendly  to  the  Americans. 

"You  have  probably  heard  of  Dewey's  reply,  when  asked 
by  a  German  officer  what  he  would  do  in  case  they  refused 
to  allow  the  Americans  to  inspect  their  ship  during  the 
blockade,  in  accordance  with  the  custom  of  war.  When 
Dewey  told  him  that  he  would  open  fire  on  them  at  once, 
the  German  admiral  reported  the  matter  to  the  English 
admiral  and  asked  him  what  he  would  do  in  case  Dewey 
carried  out  his  threat. 

' '  '  Only  Dewey  and  I  know, '  replied  the  gallant  English 
sailor. 

"Indeed  before  the  arrival  of  Dewey,  General  Augusti, 
the  governor-general,  spoke  most  contemptuously  of  the 
Americans  as  soldiers,  sailors,  and  gentlemen,  and  berated 
them  as  the  social  scum  and  excrescence  of  the  earth.  He 
furthermore  advised  the  people  to  put  their  faith  in  Span- 
ish chivalry  and  the  grace  of  God,  which  would  never  de- 
sert the  faithful  for  a  mob  of  heretics. 

"Nozelado,  the  Bloodthirsty,  also  assured  his  flock  that 
four  mighty  Spanish  battle-ships  were  en  route  to  the  Phil- 
ippines at  that  very  time,  had  passed  Singapore  and,  with 

[51] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

the  mighty  Montojo,  would  literally  make  hash  of  the 
American  crew  and  kindling-wood  of  Dewey's  battleships, 
if  he  dared  enter  Manila  Bay.  Besides,  he  told  them  that 
recently  he  had  received  direct  information  from  the  Al- 
mighty that  the  Spanish  fleet  would  gain  a  great  victory 
over  the  heretical  Americans. 

"This  statement  regarding  the  four  battle-ships  en  route 
to  the  Philippines  was  entirely  erroneous  for  the  reason 
that  Spain  had  no  such  vessels  beyond  those  already  ac- 
counted for  elsewhere.  As  to  the  omen  from  above,  you, 
gentlemen,  may  draw  your  own  conclusions. 

"In  spite  of  these  assurances  of  Spanish  prowess  and  of 
the  kindly  oversight  which  the  Lord  was  giving  his  pre- 
cious flock,  many  of  the  Spanish  families,  as  well  as  other 
foreigners  living  in  Manila,  stampeded  and  left  the  city  in 
undue  haste.  All  of  them  who  could  muster  sufficient 
money  took  passage  for  Hong  Kong,  although  the  trans- 
portation companies  had  cornered  the  market,  as  it  were, 
on  tickets  and  raised  their  prices  three  or  fourfold.  Ref- 
ugees offered  any  price  to  get  away,  while  the  poor  Chi- 
nese, as  usual,  were  robbed  right  and  left.  It  is  said  that 
5,000  of  them  went  back  to  China  before  Dewey  arrived. 

"War  being  declared,  the  American  fleet  left  Mir  Bay 
on  April  27,  1898,  and  put  into  Subig  Bay,  expecting  to 
find  the  Spanish  armada  there.  Montojo  was  not  there, 
nor  had  the  Spaniards  sufficient  foresight  to  plant  the 
mouth  of  the  harbor  with  torpedoes,  which  could  have 
been  easily  done.  However,  they  had  mounted  a  few  six- 
inch  guns  on  Corregidor  Island,  at  Punta  Gorda,  Punta 
Larisi,  the  Fraile  and  Caballo  rocks. 

"When  Dewey  entered  the  Boca  Chica  and  passed  Cor- 
regidor Island,  which  he  did  about  three  o'clock  in  the 
morning,  he  found  the  lights  out  and  everybody  apparently 
asleep.  It  is  recorded,  however,  that  a  single  shot  from 
the  Fraile  was  fired  after  he  had  gotten  well  past  the 
island.  Without  attempting  to  reply,  he  continued  his 
course  towards  Manila,  although  all  of  the  lights  up  the 

[52] 


o 

< 

< 

Q 
A 

o 

o 

< 
o 

CQ 

N 


DEWEY'S  FIGHT  WITH  MONTOJO 

bay  had  likewise  been  extinguished.  Dewey  must  have 
experienced  rather  uncomfortable  sensations  as  he  con- 
tinued his  course  in  the  darkness  with  nothing  to  steer  by. 
At  dawn  he  had  gotten  well  abreast  of  Cavite,  where  he 
found  the  Spanish  fleet  drawn  up  in  line  of  battle,  a  few 
hundred  yards  from  the  shore  under  the  protection  of  the 
forts  at  Point  Sangley  and  Canacao. 

"When  the  Spaniards  learned  that  the  Americans  had 
actually  started  for  Manila,  they  at  once  changed  the  color 
of  their  ships  from  white  to  dark  gray,  the  color  generally 
employed  by  all  warships  during  action.  The  Spanish 
fleet  consisted  of  the  Don  Antonio  de  TJlloa,  1,200  tons, 
Isla  de  Luzon,  1,048  tons,  Isla  de  Cuba,  1,048  tons,  Reina 
Cristina,  3,500  tons,  Don  Juan  d' Austria,  1,130  tons, 
Velasco,  1,152  tons,  and  the  Castilla,  3,260  tons,  and  was 
arranged  in  the  order  given  from  east  to  west.  You  will 
observe  that  the  flagship,  the  Reina  Cristina,  occupied  the 
centre  of  the  line,  immediately  under  the  guns  of  Point 
Sangley. 

' '  The  American  fleet  took  a  position  immediately  opposite 
the  Spaniards,  a  couple  of  miles  distant,  in  the  following 
order :  Olympia,  5,800  tons,  Baltimore,  4,600  tons,  Raleigh, 
3,200  tons,  Boston,  3,000  tons,  Concord,  1,700  tons,  and  the 
Petrel,  892  tons.  So  you  see  that  the  American  fleet, 
which  aggregated  19,992  in  tonnage,  was  almost  double 
that  of  the  Spaniards,  which  amounted  to  12,338. 

"Moreover,  the  American  fleet  was  armed  with  67  big 
guns,  while  the  Spanish  fleet  had  only  31,  and  they  far  in- 
ferior in  every  respect.  With  such  odds  in  favor  of  the 
Americans  no  one  could  have  failed  to  guess  the  outcome 
except  a  people  so  long  steeped  in  the  legends  of  the  super- 
human, in  national  egotism,  and  conceit. 

"Dewey  took  his  position  about  5:40  a.m.,  and  at  once 
threw  a  broadside  into  the  forts  at  Point  Sangley  and  Ca- 
nacao with  the  intention  of  silencing  them.  They  were 
armed  with  a  number  of  six-inch  Hontario  guns  and  re- 
plied quite  lively  for  a  few  moments,  damaging  the  Con- 

[53] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

cord  and  the  Boston,  which  temporarily  withdrew  from  the 
line  to  make  repairs. 

"The  battle  was  now  on  in  earnest  and  the  Don  Antonio 
de  TJlloa  opened  np  a  broadside  on  the  Olympia,  which 
fortunately  went  wide  of  its  mark,  while  at  the  same  time 
the  drums  beat  and  the  crew  shouted,  "Long  live  the  King 
and  Queen  of  Spain."  The  incident  might  strongly  sug- 
gest a  combat  between  a  bantam  rooster  and  a  full  sized 
fighting-cock. 

"At  this  time  the  Don  Juan  d' Austria,  which  occupied 
the  centre  of  the  line,  another  bantam  ship,  advanced  to- 
wards the  Olympia  and  fired  a  broadside,  but  was  driven 
back  amidst  a  shower  of  shell  with  many  casualties.  The 
Reina  Cristina  then  advanced  toward  the  Olympia  with 
full  speed,  intending  to  ram  her,  but  likewise  had  to  retreat 
with  her  decks  strewn  with  the  dead  and  the  dying.  By 
7:30  a.m.  she  was  in  flames  and  the  Admiral  was  trans- 
ferred to  the  Isla  de  Cuba.  Imagine  poor  old  Montojo  at 
this  critical  moment,  his  flagship  in  flames,  himself  trans- 
ferred to  a  little  boat  of  only  1,048  tons,  and  all  hope  prac- 
tically gone.  The  captain  of  the  Reina  Cristina  was  mor- 
tally wounded  during  the  attempt  to  ram  the  Olympia  but 
continued  to  command  his  ship  until  the  moment  of  death. 
There  is  no  doubt  but  that  the  Spaniards  are  game  and 
are  the  last  to  show  the  white  feather. 

"By  8:00  a.m.  all  of  the  Spanish  ships  were  so  badly 
crippled  that  they  could  scarcely  return  the  American  fire. 
About  this  time  Dewey  signalled  his  fleet  to  retire  to  a  dis- 
tance of  several  miles  to  the  rear  in  order  to  replenish  am- 
munition from  his  transports,  which  accompanied  the  fleet 
but  were  lying  behind  the  English  and  German  men-of-war, 
some  distance  from  the  firing  line. 

"Before  Dewey  returned  to  renew  action,  which  was 
about  10  a.m.,  the  small  gunboats  Lezo,  Duero,  Manila, 
Velasco,  and  Argos,  steamed  up  and  ran  ashore  near  Cavite 
with  a  view  to  their  destruction. 

"The  American  fleet  again  opened  fire  on  the  two  re- 

[54] 


DEWEY'S  FIGHT  WITH  MONTOJO 

maining  opposing  ships,  the  Velasco  and  Isla  de  Luzon. 
The  Reina  Cristina  and  Castillo,  had  burned  to  the  water's 
edge  and  sunk,  while  the  Don  Juan  d' Austria  was  blown 
up  and  the  TJlloa  destroyed  by  a  shell.  All  hope  now 
having  disappeared,  Montojo  ordered  his  two  remaining 
vessels  to  beach  themselves  on  the  shore  near  Bacoor,  which 
they  did,  and  thus  ended  Montojo 's  fiery  controversy  with 
Dewey  in  the  Bay  of  Manila,  on  May  1,  1898. 

"After  disposing  of  the  fleet,  Admiral  Dewey  directed 
his  fire  on  Fort  Cavite  and  the  Arsenal  which,  however, 
were  unable  to  reply  as  they  had  no  guns.  In  a  short  time 
Colonel  Lastoa  of  the  Spanish  army  hoisted  a  flag  of  truce 
and  requested  an  armistice  long  enough  to  remove  the 
women  and  children,  which  Dewey  approved  on  the  condi- 
tion that  the  guns  at  Fort  Santiago  and  the  Manila  shore 
would  cease  firing.  This  was  agreed  upon  by  General 
Augusti,  although  it  was  learned  afterwards  that  most  of 
the  guns  mounted  at  Manila  were  a  hundred  years  old  and 
worthless.  It  is  said  that,  on  account  of  their  condition 
and  the  hopelessness  of  defending  Manila,  the  artillery  col- 
onel in  command  committed  suicide. 

"A  large  Spanish  transport,  named  the  Isla  de  Min- 
danao, which  was  lying  in  Cavite  Bay  during  the  engage- 
ment, ran  ashore  near  Las  Pinas  and  was  burned  by  the 
Americans  because  she  was  armed,  which  appeared  unnec- 
essary and  utterly  unwarranted.  It  turned  out  subse- 
quently that  she  contained  a  valuable  cargo  of  general 
supplies  worth  a  million  of  dollars,  which  would  have 
proved  very  useful  after  the  arrival  of  our  troops.  Be- 
sides, a  vessel  of  that  size  and  value  would  have  yielded 
a  handsome  sum  in  the  way  of  prize  money  for  the  officers 
and  sailors. 

"Finally  the  entire  peninsula  of  Cavite  with  the  town 
and  arsenal  were  surrendered  to  the  Americans,  as  well  as 
Corregidor  and  neighboring  islands.  The  command  down 
there  consisted  of  about  100  men  and  they  were  allowed 
to  go  on  parole  to  Manila  by  way  of  Niac,  a  small  town  just 

[55] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

across  the  bay  from  Corregidor.  The  Spanish  fleet  lost  in 
killed  and  wounded  about  400  officers  and  men  out  of  a  to- 
tal of  1,000  men,  while  the  Americans  escaped  altogether. 
After  Dewey  took  possession  of  Cavite  a  procession  of  priests 
and  nuns  implored  him  to  spare  the  lives  of  the  prisoners, 
they  having  been  taught  and  still  believing,  that  the  Ameri- 
cans were  a  bloodthirsty  set  and  practically  savages  as  far 
as  the  customs  of  war  were  concerned. 

"About  two  weeks  after  the  engagement  a  small  Span- 
ish gunboat,  the  Callao,  came  steaming  into  the  bay  from 
the  Southern  islands,  entirely  ignorant  of  the  preceding 
events.  This  was  about  the  only  vessel  our  Government 
acquired  as  a  result  of  the  fight. 

"From  that  time  until  the  American  volunteers  arrived 
in  Manila  Bay,  several  months  later,  matters  remained  in 
statu  quo,  the  Americans  holding  Cavite  and  the  Spaniards 
Manila.  August  13  the  Americans  entered  Manila,  after 
a  slight  show  of  resistance  on  the  part  of  the  Spaniards, 
presumably  so  arranged  to  save  their  faces."  Thus  ended 
the  Major's  recital. 

The  sail  down  the  bay  was  certainly  charming  but  neces- 
sarily short  as  the  distance  to  Mariveles,  where  we  were  to 
anchor  for  the  night,  is  but  thirty  miles.  Ahead  of  us  all 
the  way  down  and  plainly  visible,  stood  the  island  of  Cor- 
regidor which  divides  the  entrance  of  the  bay  into  the  Boca 
Grande  and  Boca  Chica,  flanked  on  the  left  by  the  Friale, 
and  on  the  right  by  the  Caballo  and  the  Monja,  the  three 
latter  being  nothing  more  than  bold  and  precipitous  rocks. 

Over  towards  Mariveles  loomed  up  in  majestic  grandeur 
the  dark  blue  mountains  of  Bataan,  beyond  which  range  I 
had  witnessed,  from  the  Luneta,  sunsets  unsurpassed  in 
color  and  beauty  anywhere  in  the  world,  even  by  the  famous 
skies  of  the  Bay  of  Naples  which  have  been  the  subject  of 
poetry  and  song  since  the  days  of  Virgil. 

The  island  of  Corregidor  is  very  irregular  in  formation 
and  covers  an  area  of  several  square  miles,  the  main  body 
consisting  of  a  high  plateau  at  least  four  hundred  feet 

[56] 


DEWEY'S  FIGHT  WITH  MONTOJO 

above  the  sea.  Exposed  to  the  China  Sea  on  the  east  the 
sides  of  the  island  are  sheer  and  steep,  formed  as  it  were 
by  nature  for  the  mighty  fortress  which  now  encircles  its 
crest.  At  the  foot  of  the  island,  facing  Manila,  is  located 
the  wharf,  the  old  Spanish  marine  barracks,  a  picturesque 
Catholic  church,  and  a  small  fishing  village,  containing  five 
or  six  hundred  inhabitants. 

''During  the  Spanish  regime,"  said  the  Major,  "there 
lived  on  the  island  a  number  of  prominent  Filipino  fam- 
ilies, who  were  admitted  to  the  society  of  the  Spanish  of- 
ficials. Their  daughters  were  educated  in  the  convents  of 
Manila,  and,  singularly  enough,  nearly  all  of  them  became 
accomplished  performers  on  the  harp.  The  American  Gov- 
ernment established  a  large  convalescent  army  hospital  on 
the  grounds  of  the  marine  barracks,  and  one  of  the  pleas- 
ant diversions  of  the  young  American  officers,  sent  there 
for  convalescence,  was  to  visit  the  homes  of  the  young 
senoritas  who  were  always  obliging  enough  to  play  and 
sing  for  them. 

"I  remember  distinctly  that  while  on  a  visit  of  inspec- 
tion there  I  made  the  rounds  with  several  of  the  young  offi- 
cers and  was  escorted  to  the  homes  of  four  or  five  of  these 
young  damsels,  all  of  whom  played  and  sang  with  consid- 
erable skill.  They  were  refined,  good-natured,  well-man- 
nered young  women  and  might  be  called  pretty,  for  they 
had  regular  features,  graceful  forms,  and  bright  attractive 
eyes. 

"Although  more  than  a  decade  has  passed  since  then, 
I  can  distinctly  recall,  Conchita,  Alejandrina,  Doris,  Man- 
uelita  and  petite  Josefina,  all  of  whom  cheerfully  obliged 
us  with  their  repertoire,  but  each  concluded  by  asking  in 
broken  Spanish  and  English  which  one  I  thought  the  best 
performer. 

"Doris,  a  very  pretty  girl  of  about  seventeen  years  but 
with  a  darker  skin  than  her  friends,  was  asked  by  a  young 
officer  whether  she  could  play  and  sing  a  song  bearing  her 
own  name,  which  is,  I  believe,  a  very  familiar  love  song  in 

[57] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

the  States.  Doris  feigned  perfect  ignorance  of  the  piece 
and  asked  the  young  officer  to  sing  it,  which  he  was  un- 
able to  do  but  whistled  the  air.  The  sly  little  minx  had 
enjoyed  herself  immensely  at  the  expense  of  the  young  lieu- 
tenant, for  a  few  moments  later,  she  played  and  sang  the 
song  exquisitely. 

"Things  have  changed  very  much  at  Corregidor  since 
those  halcyon  days  when  hundreds  of  our  young  soldiers 
and  officers  went  there  for  rest  and  recuperation.  No 
doubt  many  of  them  still  retain,  in  fondest  recollection, 
memories  of  the  bright-eyed  senoritas  and  the  little  musical 
coterie,  always  so  willing  to  entertain  the  sick  Americanos. 
As  the  work  progressed  on  the  fortifications,  laborers  and 
convicts  from  Bilibid  were  taken  to  the  island  in  large 
numbers,  so  the  simple  villagers  had  to  take  homes  on  the 
neighboring  shore  of  Cavite,  where  no  doubt  from  the 
palm-lined  beach,  some  of  the  little  harpists  have  watched 
the  great  white  army  transports  gliding  down  the  bay  and 
out  to  sea  with  their  soldier  lovers  returning  home." 

"In  a  little  nipa  cottage,  on  Cavite's  palm-fringed  shore, 
Sits  a  sweet  Tagalog  maiden,  as  she  sat  in  days  of  yore, 
When  she  listened  to  my  story,  'neath  the  golden  mango  tree, 
As  I  quite  forgot  my  family  and  she  sang  'Porque'  to  me. 

"With  her  tiny  feet  in  slippers,  and  her  shoulders  brown  and 

bare, 
And  the  sheen  so  bright  and  glossy  on  her  splendid  raven  hair, 
When  her  dark  eyes  gayly  dancing  and  her  pearly  teeth  so  white, 
As  so  roguishly  she  answered  'me  no  sabe-yes-all-right.' 

"When  the  mist  was  on  the  rice  fields,  and  the  shadows  coming 

slow, 
She  would  get  her  golden  harplet,  and  would  sing  so  soft  and  low, 
With  her  arms  around  my  shoulders,  and  her  cheek  pressed  up 

to  mine, 
So  we  watched  the  transports  sailing,  sailing  down  Cavite  line. 

[58] 


DEWEY'S  FIGHT  WITH  MONTOJO 

"Ship  me  somewhere  west  of  Frisco,  where  the  golden  sunset  dies, 
And  the  languid,  limpid  love-light  lies  in  Oriental  eyes, 
For  I  hear  Conehita  calling,  and  the  church  bells  chiming  on, 
Come  ye  back,  ye  Yankee  soldiers,  come  ye  back  to  old  Luzon." 

' '  To-day  Corregidor  has  become  the  Gibraltar  of  the  Far 
East  and  is  fairly  bristling  with  heavy  guns.  The  Govern- 
ment has  already  spent  millions  of  dollars  on  the  fortifica- 
tions there  and  intends  to  make  it  impossible  for  the 
strongest  hostile  fleet  to  pass  into  the  bay. 

"The  entrance  to  the  right  of  Corregidor,  coming  from 
the  China  Sea,  is  called  the  Boca  Grande  or  the  Great 
Mouth,  while  the  opposite  entrance  is  known  as  the  Boca 
Chica  or  Small  Mouth.  It  was  through  the  Small  Mouth 
which  is  less  than  two  miles  wide  from  island  to  mainland, 
that  Dewey  entered  that  eventful  night  in  May. 

"You  w7ill  notice  the  partially  submerged  hull  of  a  ves- 
sel lying  between  the  Caballo  rocks  and  the  mainland  of 
Corregidor.  That  is  all  that  is  left  of  the  poor  old  Hooker 
whose  skeleton  has  been  bleaching  in  the  tropical  sun  for 
more  than  ten  years  past.  One  mast  still  points  aloft  as  if 
asking  Heaven  to  mete  out  a  just  vengeance  upon  the 
demons  who  wrecked  her  there.  The  Hooker  was  the  fa- 
mous steamship  Panama,  which  formerly  belonged  to  the 
Compaiiia  Transatlantica  of  Barcelona  and  had  the  dis- 
tinction of  being  the  first  Spanish  vessel  captured  by  the 
United  States  Government  in  the  war  against  Spain.  She 
had  very  foolishly  left  her  port  in  Spain  only  a  few  days 
before  the  declaration  of  war  and  became  an  easy  prey  to 
an  American  revenue  cutter  which  was  cruising  near  the 
harbor  of  Havana  at  the  time.  The  Panama  was  then  es- 
corted into  Key  West  and  turned  over  to  the  army  as  a 
transport,  and  had  the  honor  of  conveying  General  Fitz 
Hugh  Lee  and  staff  to  Havana  in  the  Fall  of  1898.  She 
was  finally  transferred  to  the  signal  corps  of  the  army, 
fitted  out  at  a  considerable  expense  as  a  cable  ship  and  or- 
dered to  Manila,  to  lay  cables  between  the  southern  islands 
and  Manila. 

[59] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

"The  channel  between  the  Caballo  rocks  and  Corregidor 
had  never  been  used  for  the  navigation  of  ships;  in  fact, 
it  was  impossible  to  steer  a  sea-going  vessel  safely  through 
that  narrow  rock-lined  strip  of  water.  Any  one  ac- 
quainted with  navigation  in  Manila  Bay  might  believe  the 
accident  to  have  resulted  simply  from  ignorance  or  error 
in  judgment,  but  within  a  reasonably  short  period  an  ugly 
rumor  went  the  rounds  that  the  vessel  had  been  intention- 
ally wrecked. 

"The  Oriental  Cable  Company  at  the  time  had  a 
monopoly  on  cable  news  in  the  Far  East  and,  it  was  said, 
feared  competition  from  the  United  States  which  was  re- 
ported as  on  the  eve  of  laying  a  new  line  via  Guam,  Mid- 
way, and  Honolulu  to  San  Francisco  with  the  Hooker. 
The  story  was  told  that  the  officials  of  the  company  had 
secured  the  appointment  of  one  of  the  navigating  officers 
of  the  Hooker  and  had  paid  him  a  handsome  sum  to  de- 
stroy the  ship.  An  investigation  was  ordered  and  held  in 
Manila,  but  as  far  as  I  ever  heard  nothing  is  known 
beyond  the  fact  that  nearly  all  of  the  officers  aboard  were 
drunk  at  the  time  the  attempt  was  made  to  steer  the  ship 
between  the  rocks.  The  captain  was  suspended,  one  or 
two  of  the  officers  discharged,  and  the  Government  was  left 
to  pocket  the  loss  which  amounted  to  over  $1,000,000. 

"Besides  the  financial  loss  the  important  work  of  laying 
the  inter-island  cable,  which  was  so  necessary  during  the 
insurrection,  had  to  be  delayed  until  the  Burnside  was 
fitted  out,  which  postponed  the  work  several  years." 

By  the  time  the  Major  had  finished  the  story  of  the  un- 
fortunate Hooker  our  ship  had  entered  the  harbor  of 
Mariveles  and  was  slowly  steaming  toward  the  buoy  where 
we  were  to  pass  the  night,  and  submit  to  the  scrutiny  of 
the  quarantine  officers  the  following  day. 


[60] 


CHAPTER  VII 

LEGEND    OP    MARIVELES  —  THE    JUDGE    AS  A 
RANCHMAN  IN  NEW  MEXICO 

The  Famous  Station  op  Mariveles  —  Description  cp 
the  Harbor  —  The  Simple-Minded  Inhabitants  — 
The  Commodious  Barracks  Built  by  the  Americans 
—  An  Attractive  Seaside  Resort  —  The  Spanish 
Junta  —  The  Ceremony  op  Inspection  and  the  Silver 
Bait  —  The    Legend    op     Marpteles  —  The    Fraile, 

monja  and  corregidor cholera  in  manila effect 

on  the  American  Fleet  —  Three  Days'  Additional 
Quarantine  —  Acquaintance  with  the  Judge  —  His 
Self-Supporting  Cat  Ranch  —  "Why  the  Judge 
Abandoned  His  Ranch  —  A  High-Class  Typhoon  — 
Out  in  the  China  Sea. 

FEW  travellers  who  visit  Manila  fail  to  pass  at  least 
one  night  at  the  famous  quarantine  station  of 
Mariveles  which  is  so  beautifully  located  at  the  head  of 
the  snug  land-locked  harbor,  across  the  channel  of  Boca 
Chica,  opposite  Corregidor.  I  was  charmed  with  the 
beauty  and  restfulness  of  the  little  harbor,  the  picturesque- 
ness  of  its  mountain  sides,  and  the  wonderful  coloring  of 
the  foliage.  The  impressionable  stranger  would  believe 
that  he  had  at  last  found  the  land  of  perpetual  Spring  and 
the  sans-souci  for  earthly  troubles.  However,  I  have  been 
told  by  those  who  are  familiar  with  the  entire  archipelago 
that  the  attractiveness  of  this  lovely  spot  is  excelled  in 
magnificence  and  sublimity  a  thousand-fold  among  the 
islands  of  the  South,  which  indeed  compare  favorably  with 
the  grandeur  and  beauty  of  Japan's  famous  Inland  Sea. 

[61] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

Enclosing  the  harbor  on  all  sides,  except  its  narrow- 
inlet,  are  high  mountain  ranges  and  peaks  whose  sides  are 
covered  with  dense  primeval  forests  of  hard  and  valuable 
woods,  clothed  in  every  shade  of  green  from  light  yellow 
to  a  dark  purple.  Here  and  there  dotted  along  the  moun- 
tain sides,  after  the  fashion  of  a  crazy  quilt,  are  to  be  seen 
light  green  open  spaces,  cleared  of  timber  through  the  pa- 
tient labor  of  the  natives  and  sown  to  mountain  rice.  At 
the  foot  of  the  hills,  in  crescentic  form  and  partially  rest- 
ing on  the  playa  of  the  bay,  lies  the  peaceful  village  of 
Mariveles,  inhabited  by  a  simple-minded  fisher  people,  who 
appear  perfectly  happy  in  their  little  world  which  to  them 
reaches  no  farther  than  the  mountain  boundaries  of  the 
narrow  harbor  and  the  island  of  Corregidor,  plainly  visible 
four  miles  away. 

For  a  century  and  a  half  Mariveles,  which  was  formerly 
known  as  Camaya,  has  been  used  as  a  quarantine  station 
for  ships  passing  in  and  out  of  the  Bay  of  Manila.  Since 
American  occupancy  comfortable  barracks,  sufficiently 
large  to  accommodate  an  entire  regiment,  have  been  con- 
structed by  our  Government,  with  an  ample  sterilizing 
plant  and  abundance  of  shower-baths.  For  the  accommo- 
dation of  officers  and  their  families  a  handsome  building 
has  been  erected,  containing  numerous  cool  and  airy  rooms, 
wide  halls,  and  broad  piazzas.  The  barracks  of  the  men 
and  officers'  quarters  are  located  in  a  beautiful  park  with 
green  lawns  and  stately  shade  trees,  thus  giving  the  sta- 
tion the  appearance  of  an  attractive  seashore  resort. 

Quaint  stories  are  still  afloat  in  the  cafes  on  the  Escolta 
of  the  fabulous  fortunes  made  by  the  quarantine  officials 
during  Spanish  domination  and  the  bonus  paid  the  cen- 
tral government  for  appointment  on  the  board.  Sailing- 
masters  entering  the  port  understood  the  peccant  custom 
and  had  to  resort  to  diplomacy  and  bribe  to  protect  them- 
selves from  an  indefinite  delay  in  quarantine,  which  was 
liable  to  last  a  month. 

During  my  recent  sojourn  in  Manila,  a  member  of  an 

[62] 


— 


r 

•3 
o 


LEGEND   OF  MARIVELES 

old  English  firm  engaged  in  the  hemp  trade  told  me  of  an 
experience  one  of  their  sailing-masters  had  at  Mariveles  a 
few  months  previous  to  American  occupation. 

"The  ship  had  entered  the  port  direct  from  England 
after  a  passage  of  forty  days  from  Liverpool,  with  no 
stops  en  route  except  at  Port  Said  and  Aden  for  coal. 
A  messenger  came  aboard  early  the  following  morning 
and  announced  that  the  junta  which  consisted  of  five 
officials,  would  visit  the  ship  at  noon  to  make  the  usual 
inspection.  The  captain,  who  had  had  previous  expe- 
rience at  Mariveles,  prepared  a  bountiful  luncheon  for 
the  board  in  his  private  cabin  and  saw  that  there  was  an 
abundance  of  wine,  cognac,  and  Havana  cigars  on  hand. 
In  addition  he  left  in  the  centre  of  the  table  a  sack  con- 
taining three  hundred  Mexican  dollars. 

"Promptly  at  twelve  the  dignitaries  appeared  and  after 
the  usual  greeting  and  volley  of  questions  concerning  the 
health  of  the  crew  and  passengers  and  the  ports  through 
which  the  ship  had  passed  were  ushered  into  the  captain's 
cabin  and  left  to  their  mature  deliberations.  At  3  p.m. 
they  emerged  and  informed  him  that  they  had  made  a 
careful  study  of  the  situation  and  were  sorry  to  announce 
that  it  would  be  necessary  to  detain  the  ship  and  pas- 
sengers two  weeks  at  least,  if  not  longer,  unless  he  could 
provide  more  sufficient  proof  that  there  was  no  infection 
lurking  within  the  ship  or  amongst  the  crew. 

"In  bidding  the  captain  adios,  which  was  done  with  all 
the  accustomed  grace  and  urbanity  of  the  Spanish  cabal- 
leros,  they  informed  him  that  the  following  day  at  the 
same  hour  they  would  make  another  inspection. 

"The  same  elaborate  preparations  were  made  for  the 
next  day,  except  that  an  additional  hundred  pesos  were 
added  to  the  sack.  After  another  series  of  questioning 
and  further  consultation  the  secretary  of  the  junta  in- 
formed the  captain  that  the  case  did  not  seem  quite  as 
serious  as  appeared  at  first,  but  it  looked  as  though  it 
might  prove  necessary  to  detain  the  ship  at  least  a  week. 

[63] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

However,  he  added  on  leaving,  that  their  conclusions  were 
not  final  and  that  they  would  come  again  at  noon  on  the 
following  day  to  settle  definitely  the  length  of  quaran- 
tine. 

" Again  the  lunch  was  spread  in  the  captain's  cabin, 
with  the  usual  entrees  of  wine,  cognac,  and  cigars,  but 
the  sack  of  money  had  now  grown  to  the  handsome  sum  of 
five  hundred  fat  and  attractive  Mexican  dollars  which  ap- 
peared to  meet  with  the  entire  approval  of  the  august 
body,  for  after  they  emerged  from  the  hospitable  door 
of  the  captain's  cabin  the  third  time,  they  uncompro- 
misingly agreed  that  Manila  and  her  inhabitants  would 
be  perfectly  safe  in  allowing  the  ship  to  proceed  without 
further  delay. 

"On  arrival  in  Manila  the  captain  furnished  me  with 
an  account  of  the  entire  transaction,  adding  that  on  the 
departure  of  the  board  from  his  cabin  he  found  pinned 
to  the  empty  sack  a  card  with  the  words  'Adios  y  venga 
otra  vez,'  leaving  him  in  doubt  as  to  whether  the  'fare- 
well and  come  again'  referred  to  his  ship  or  the  money 
which  the  sack  contained." 

My  friend  assured  me  that  similar  experiences  were 
quite  common  to  sailing-masters  entering  the  port  and 
that  the  sum  exacted  depended  upon  the  size  of  the  ship 
and  the  financial  standing  of  the  owner.  He  also  added 
that  a  portion  of  the  bribe-money  went  into  a  kind  of 
"jack  pot,"  which  was  divided  among  the  governor-gen- 
eral, archbishop,  and  other  important  officials  of  the  cen- 
tral government  in  Manila. 

I  had  finished  breakfast  and,  together  with  the  Judge 
and  the  Major,  was  sitting  on  the  upper  deck  enjoying 
the  quiet  beauty  of  the  scenery  and  the  fragrance  of  a 
Flor  de  Isabela,  when  the  latter  asked  me  whether  I  had 
ever  heard  the  legend  of  Mariveles  and  how  it  had  ac- 
quired its  name.  "No,  Major,  I  have  not,  but  would  like 
very  much  to  hear  it  now,  especially  as  the  village  with 
its  church  spire,  is  in  full  view." 

[64] 


LEGEND   OF  MARIVELES 

"Well,"  continued  the  Major,  "among  the  officials  sent 
out  from  Spain  to  Manila  during  the  very  early  days  of 
the  colony  was  a  member  of  the  supreme  bench,  whose 
daughter,  Alicia,  created  a  great  sensation  by  her  great 
beauty  and  charm  of  manner.  The  young  senorita  had 
scarcely  reached  the  age  of  sixteen  on  her  arrival,  so  con- 
tinued her  studies  in  the  Convent  of  Santa  Clara  for  sev- 
eral years  afterwards. 

"The  convent  had  been  but  recently  established  and  the 
mother-superior  sought  most  vigorously  for  recruits  to 
fill  the  vacancies  among  the  novitiates.  Her  eyes  had 
frequently  dwelt  upon  the  face  of  the  beautiful  Alicia  who 
would  make  such  an  attractive  addition  to  the  ranks  of 
the  sisterhood,  not  only  on  account  of  her  well-known 
piety,  but  because  of  the  prestige  which  the  convent  would 
gain  through  such  an  influential  member.  Alicia  was  grad- 
uated two  years  later  and,  greatly  to  the  sorrow  of  her 
distinguished  parents,  took  the  veil  on  arriving  at  the 
age  of  eighteen,  and  the  name  of  Sister  Maria. 

"Several  years  of  quiet  and  undisturbed  convent  life 
passed  away,  during  which  time  the  fair  sister,  again  and 
again,  poured  out  her  soul  in  thankfulness  to  the  Holy 
Virgin  for  rescuing  her  from  the  trials  and  temptations 
of  the  wicked  world  from  which  she  had  escaped. 

"Unfortunately  for  the  youthful  and  beautiful  little 
sister,  at  the  end  of  her  two  years'  novitiate,  Padre  Veles, 
a  handsome  young  Franciscan  friar,  was  installed  as  con- 
fessor to  the  convent.  It  was  not  long  afterwards  that 
the  mother-superior  and  sisters  noticed  that  the  holy 
father  was  confessing  Sister  Maria  oftener  than  appeared 
necessary  for  such  a  stainless  creature  and,  besides,  de- 
voted much  more  time  to  her  than  to  the  confession  of 
the  others. 

"The  embers  of  a  deep  and  passionate  nature  started 
the  consuming  fire  of  love  in  the  heart  of  the  young  padre, 
which  effaced  for  all  time  his  resolutions  for  the  con- 
secrated life  of  the  Church.  Maria  also  fell  deeply  in 
5  [65] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

love  with  the  handsome  young  cura,  dreamed  of  him  as 
she  slept  in  her  narrow,  cheerless  cell,  and  saw  his  face 
constantly  while  perusing  her  holy  missal. 

"Padre  Veles  was  of  noble  birth  and  had  taken  holy 
orders  at  the  earnest  solicitations  and  prayers  of  his 
zealous  parents  and  sailed  for  the  Philippines  a  few  years 
after  the  departure  of  Sister  Maria,  little  knowing  the 
fate  in  store  for  him  away  out  in  the  unknown  East. 

"Romantic  and  impressionable  by  nature,  he  recipro- 
cated with  all  the  ardor  of  a  Spanish  cavalier  the  love  of 
the  fair  Maria,  and  with  the  true  courage  of  a  nobleman 
confessed  his  passion  to  the  archbishop  and  governor-gen- 
eral, and  asked  release  for  himself  and  sister  Maria  from 
the  bonds  of  the  monastic  order  and  cloister.  But  the 
archbishop  declined  to  grant  the  request  of  the  young 
priest  and  would  in  no  wise  countenance  the  prayer  of 
Sister  Maria. 

"  '  'T  is  but  a  passing  fancy, '  ' '  said  the  archbishop, 
"  'which  time  will  efface  and  a  few  years  later  each  will 
thank  me  for  the  stand  I  have  taken  in  the  matter.' 

"Little  did  the  all-powerful  prelate  realize  that  by  his 
refusal  to  acquiesce  in  the  request  of  the  lovers  a  tragedy 
would  be  enacted  which  for  ages  to  come  would  be  re- 
corded in  poetry  and  song,  would  be  heralded  for  untold 
generations  throughout  the  domains  of  Cupid,  and,  like 
the  story  of  Heloise  and  Abelard,  go  ringing  down  the 
aisles  of  time  as  another  instance  of  unrequited  love. 

"A  few  weeks  later  Padre  Veles  was  sent  to  a  parish  in 
a  distant  province  where  he  was  placed  under  the  closest 
observation  of  the  curate  of  the  pueblo.  And  poor  Sister 
Maria,  ah,  well!  she  was  burdened  with  penances  and 
never  allowed  to  leave  the  convent  walls.  But  as  the 
days  and  weeks  glided  on  she  remained  hopelessly  sub- 
merged in  the  delirious  sea  of  passionate  love,  with  but 
one  thought,  and  that  to  escape  and  join  her  lover. 

"The  young  padre  was  more  fortunate  and,  with  an 
increasing   freedom   as   the   weeks  went   on,    formed  the 

[66] 


LEGEND   OF  MARIVELES 

friendship  of  a  wealthy  sugar-planter  to  whom  he  con- 
fided his  love. 

"  'My  son,'  replied  the  generous-hearted  planter,  'abide 
your  time  in  patience,  for  as  sure  as  the  moon  is  the 
queen  of  the  night  within  a  little  while  you  will  join  the 
fair  Maria,  never  more  to  part.  When  the  next  State 
galleon  sails  for  Mexico,  which  occurs  ten  days  from  now, 
I  will  take  you  with  me  in  disguise  as  one  of  my  attend- 
ants, and  arrange  for  the  escape  of  Sister  Maria,  who  will 
accompany  us  as  my  senora's  maid.  Remember,  my  son, 
I  have  powerful  friends  in  Manila  and,  besides,  the  power 
of  gold  is  strong.' 

"Through  the  carefully  arranged  plans  of  the  sugar- 
planter,  Sister  Maria  was  secretly  rescued  from  the  con- 
vent a  few  nights  before  the  sailing  of  the  galleon  and 
removed  to  Camaya,  which  was  the  original  name  of  Mari- 
veles.  Padre  Veles  also  appeared  there  in  company  with 
his  friend  a  few  hours  later,  when  the  lovers  were  quickly 
married  by  a  native  priest  who  was  secured  for  the  oc- 
casion. 

"Shortly  after  the  escape  and  flight  of  Sister  Maria 
parties  were  sent  out  in  every  direction  for  her  apprehen- 
sion, among  them  one  headed  by  one  of  the  corregidors 
(alderman)  of  Manila,  who  sailed  down  to  Camaya,  hoping 
to  prevent  her  escape  to  Mexico  on  the  galleon  which  was 
to  sail  the  following  day.  In  spite  of  their  disguise  the 
lovers  were  discovered  by  the  heartless  and  obdurate  cor- 
regidor,  who,  deaf  to  their  passionate  appeals,  started 
back  with  them  to  Manila. 

"Shortly  after  he  had  left  the  little  harbor  a  severe 
typhoon  arose  which  swamped  the  prahu  and  the  entire 
party  was  drowned.  The  typhoon  was  accompanied  by  a 
severe  volcanic  eruption  at  the  entrance  of  the  bay,  which 
materially  changed  the  character  of  the  adjoining  shores 
and  harbor.  Curiously  enough  those  two  large  rocks, 
which  you  noticed  in  Boca  Grande  and  Chica,  now  known 
as  the  Fraile  and  Monja,  suddenly  arose  from  the  water, 

[67] 


ON  LEAVE   IN  JAPAN 

as  well  as  the  large  island  of  Corregidor.  The  rocks  were 
named  the  Fraile  and  Monja  after  the  padre  and  his 
bride,  and  the  large  island,  Corregidor,  after  the  cruel- 
hearted  alderman.  The  little  town  of  Camaya  was  also 
changed  to  Mariveles  in  memory  of  the  unfortunate 
lovers. ' ' 

"That  is  a  very  interesting  version  of  the  legend, 
Major,"  remarked  the  Judge,  "but  I  have  heard  a  hap- 
pier termination  of  the  episode.  The  incident  has  been 
recorded  by  several  church  historians;  one  of  them  states 
that  the  lovers  reached  the  open  sea  by  means  of  a  small 
sailboat  and  eventually  drifted  south  to  Mindoro  which, 
as  you  know,  remained  a  terra  incognita  until  of  recent 
years.  The  white  tribe  found  in  the  central  portion  of 
that  island  by  J.  Savage  Landor  is  believed  to  have  re- 
sulted from  that  union." 

While  the  Judge  and  the  Major  were  discussing  the 
real  facts  connected  with  the  legend  the  transport  sur- 
geon arrived  and  informed  us  that  a  second-class  pas- 
senger had  been  seized  with  cholera  during,  the  night. 
The  report  was  unfortunately  too  true  and  the  case  was 
of  such  a  malignant  character  that  little  hope  was  en- 
tertained for  the  recovery  of  the  patient. 

The  young  man  came  over  with  the  first  military  expe- 
dition after  Dewey's  fight  and  at  the  conclusion  of  peace 
determined  to  settle  in  the  islands  and  enter  trade.  He 
had  been  quite  successful  in  his  enterprises  and  was  re- 
turning for  a  visit  to  the  States.  Poor  fellow!  with  a 
mortality  rate  of  eighty  per  cent  there  was  little  chance 
of  his  realizing  his  fond  dreams  of  meeting  once  more  the 
loved  ones  at  home  after  the  lapse  of  so  many  weary  years 
of  hope  deferred. 

They  removed  him  at  once  to  the  infectious  ward. 
Whether  his  next  move  would  be  to  the  quiet  little  grave- 
yard on  the  mountain-side  was  a  question  which  required 
but  a  few  hours  to  decide. 

The  quarantine  officers  ordered  the   troops   ashore   in 

[68] 


Provincial  types  of  Filipinos 


Group  of  native  boys,  Bautista,  Philippines 


LEGEND   OF  MARIVELES 

order  to  fumigate  and  disinfect  the  ship  and  informed 
ns  that  a  delay  of  three  days  in  quarantine  would  be 
necessary  before  sailing.  A  number  of  the  officers  and 
their  families  also  went  ashore  and  took  apartments  in 
the  quarantine  station  during  the  temporary  imprison- 
ment. 

"I  knew  there  was  a  tremendous  amount  of  infection 
in  Manila,"  said  the  Judge,  "but  had  no  idea  it  was  so 
widespread.  As  usual  the  health  authorities  have  con- 
cealed the  facts  for  fear  it  would  change  the  programme 
of  the  American  fleet  which  is  expected  in  a  few  weeks." 

"Yes,"  said  the  Major,  "there  is  a  report  from  Manila 
that  forty  new  cases  occurred  in  the  city  yesterday,  which 
beats  the  record  of  any  one  day  during  the  epidemic 
in  1902." 

"If  they  acknowledge  forty  cases,"  added  the  Judge, 
"just  add  twenty  more,  for,  as  a  rule,  at  least  one-third 
are  withheld.  I  feel  sorry  for  the  unfortunate  town,  with 
its  expenditure  of  100,000  pesos  which  were  raised  among 
the  merchant  class  with  the  expectations  that  they  were 
casting  their  bread  upon  the  waters  with  a  string  tied 
to  it.  Under  the  circumstances  I  am  sure  the  Admiral 
will  not  allow  the  men  to  go  ashore,  hence  all  the  prepara- 
tions will  be  in  vain. ' ' 

"The  quarantine  officers  have  added  an  additional  three 
days  to  our  stay  here,"  said  the  Major,  "so  that  if  noth- 
ing further  occurs  we  will  leave  next  Monday." 

"Come,  Major,  let  us  take  a  stroll,"  I  said,  "and  give 
the  Judge  an  hour's  siesta  before  dinner;  he  looks  as 
though  he  needed  a  little  rest." 

The  sky  was  slightly  overcast  and  the  breeze  strong 
from  the  bay  during  our  walk  through  the  village  which 
was  scarcely  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  the  station. 

"You  have  known  the  Judge  a  long  time,  Major,  have 
you  not!"  I  asked. 

"Yes,  I  have  known  him  ever  since  I  was  a  small  boy; 
I  believe  it  was  some  time   during  the   early  seventies, 

[69  J 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

when  travelling  with  my  father  along  the  eastern  border 
of  northern  New  Mexico,  that  we  spent  the  night  at  his 
ranch.  He  had  been  a  post-trader  years  before  at  old 
Fort  Union  and,  after  its  abandonment,  he  decided  to  go 
into  cattle  raising. 

"He  was  doing  well  enough  and  leading  a  happy  and 
contented  life  away  out  there  on  the  fringe  of  civiliza- 
tion, until  the  arrival  of  a  singular  character  from  the 
East  who  convinced  him  that  there  were  vast  fortunes 
in  cat-skins,  since  beaver  and  other  valuable  fur-bearing 
animals  had  become  extinct  and  seal  skins  so  expensive. 

"The  stranger  assured  the  Judge  besides,  that  a  prop- 
erly run  cat-ranch  was  entirely  self-supporting,  and  con- 
sequently the  sales  from  the  skins  would  be  pure  velvet. 

"  'How  can  that  be?'  asked  the  Judge,  who  was  not 
altogether  visionary. 

"  'You  know,'  said  the  stranger,  'that  cats,  rats,  and 
other  small  fur-bearing  animals  thrive  splendidly  in  this 
climate  and  that  your  land  is  especially  adapted  to  rais- 
ing them.  All  you  have  to  do  after  the  construction  of 
the  necessary  buildings,  is  to  secure  a  variety  of  felines 
and  rodents,  and  the  trick  is  as  plain  as  the  nose  on  your 
face.  From  the  very  start,  the  ranch  becomes  self-sup- 
porting, since  cats  naturally  live  on  rats,  and  the  rodents 
reciprocate  by  subsisting  on  the  flayed  cats.' 

"The  Judge  told  my  father  that  the  ranch  had  pros- 
pered far  beyond  his  most  sanguine  expectations  and 
proved  a  veritable  gold  mine;  that  within  six  months 
after  they  had  gotten  fairly  started  the  ranch  was  cov- 
ered with  the  most  gorgeous  colored  cats  he  had  ever  seen. 
You  know  that  cats  are  rapid  breeders,  he  added,  and  that 
he  was  receiving  orders  from  furriers  all  over  the  East 
and  even  from  Paris  and  Vienna.  In  fact  he  said  he  had 
sold  a  set  of  the  Blue  Persians  to  the  Queen  of  Graustark 
who  intended  to  have  a  cloak  made  of  them." 

"The  story  is  indeed  interesting,  Major,  but  sounds 
strikingly,  if  you  will  pardon  me,  on  the  order  of  one  of 

[70] 


LEGEND   OF  MARIVELES 

Baron  Mtinchhausen's  vagaries.  But  please  tell  me  why- 
he  gave  up  such  a  lucrative  business  to  enter  law." 

"Of  course  every  business  has  its  ups  and  downs,"  said 
the  Major.  "Several  years  later  I  met  the  Judge  at 
Tombstone,  Arizona,  where  he  was  practising  law  and 
asked  him  why  he  had  discontinued  his  ranch. 

"  'My  friend,'  replied  the  Judge,  'before  answering 
your  question,  I  will  have  to  submit  one  to  you.  Have 
you  ever  reflected  seriously  on  the  term  "old  cat"  as  ap- 
plied to  women?  If  you  have  not,  let  me  inform  you  at 
once.  It  is  because  both  women  and  cats  are  affected 
with  fickleness  and  perversity  beyond  human  understand- 
ing. I  had  done  everything  in  the  world  to  make  the 
mother  cats  happy,  providing  them  with  handsome  mates 
and  comfortable  homes.  The  atmosphere  of  peace  and 
happiness  which  surrounded  my  feline  colony  would  have 
done  credit  to  a  Quaker  neighborhood,  during  the  first  six 
months  of  its  existence.  Unfortunately,  a  young  ocelot 
buck  visited  the  colony  one  bright  morning  and  fairly 
hypnotized  every  female  cat  on  the  ranch.  You  know  the 
ocelot  is  a  prize-winner  for  beauty  among  the  wild  cat 
tribe  along  the  Mexican  border.  An  hour  after  the  dis- 
covery of  his  presence  one  of  the  attendants  chased  him 
away  but  alas!  too  late.  That  night  every  tabby  on  the 
place  left  her  happy  home  and  soul-mate  to  follow  the 
stranger  from  the  hills,  and  never  returned.  Of  course 
it  was  impossible  to  continue  the  business  with  the  toms 
alone,  so  I  had  to  sell  out  and  leave.'  " 

When  I  awakened  from  a  refreshing  sleep  the  follow- 
ing morning,  I  found  the  fifth  typhoon  signal  up  and  a 
report  from  Manila  that  a  severe  baguio  was  driving  up 
from  the  southwest.  The  wind  was  already  blowing  in 
fitful  gusts  and  the  rain  falling  in  heavy  sheets. 

Fortunately  we  were  well  protected  behind  the  lee  of 
the  high  mountain-sides  and  knew  little  of  what  was  going 
on  in  the  China  Sea  and  up  the  Bay  of  Manila. 

The  approaching  equinox,  which  was  only  a  few  days 

[71] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

off,  was  of  itself  a  sufficient  reason  to  insure  a  high-class 
typhoon,  and  every  one  expected  a  record-breaker,  espe- 
cially since  the  weather  had  been  so  quiet  during  the  past 
month.  By  eleven  o'clock  a  message  came  down  from 
Manila  that  a  regular  hurricane  was  expected  and  to  make 
everything  as  tight  as  possible. 

Towards  evening  the  storm  had  somewhat  abated,  and  it 
was  subsequently  learned  that  the  centre  of  the  baguio 
had  swept  around  the  southern  coast  of  Batangas,  and  that 
we  had  merely  felt  its  northern  edge. 

Five  days  had  passed  since  we  had  entered  quarantine 
and,  without  further  bad  luck  we  would  begin  our  jour- 
ney for  Japan  on  Monday,  which  was  only  two  days  off. 
The  ex-volunteer,  the  first  taken  sick,  was,  greatly  to  the 
surprise  of  the  quarantine  officers,  doing  very  well  and 
would  probably  recover,  while  the  poor  sailor,  whose  at- 
tack appeared  light  in  the  beginning,  had  grown  rapidly 
worse  and  within  a  few  hours  had  passed  over  the  Great 
Divide. 

The  next  morning  at  7  a.m.,  when  my  faithful  attend- 
ant opened  the  shutters,  a  flood  of  sun-light  fit  for  the 
gods  entered  my  bedroom.  The  typhoon  had  gone  and 
left  nothing  behind  to  remind  us  of  it  but  a  disturbed 
ocean  and  a  few  lashing  waves. 

I  am  quite  sure  the  Major  was  a  happy  man  that  beau- 
tiful, peaceful  Sunday  morning,  for  he  had  candidly  con- 
fessed, as  the  storm  approached,  that  he  experienced  pain- 
ful visions  of  mal-de-mer,  en  route  to  Nagasaki,  being  a 
poor  sailor,  and  expected  to  go  on  light  diet  during  the 
entire  voyage  across  the  China  Sea. 

Shall  I  ever  forget  that  beautiful  Monday  morning,  as 
the  sun  cleared  the  mountain  tops  and  the  word  passed 
around  that  we  were  to  sail  at  9  a.m.?  The  hurry  and 
bustle  was  pleasing  to  us  all  as  from  the  deck  above  we 
watched  the  crew  and  men  tolled  off  to  undergo  the  final 
inspection  on  the  dock. 

A  little  later  the  vibration  of  the  brave  old  ship  warned 

[72] 


LEGEND   OF  MARIVELES 

us  that  the  powerful  machinery  was  in  motion  and  in  a 
few  moments  we  were  gliding  down  the  little  harbor  of 
Mariveles,  around  the  Pulo  Munti  and  out  into  the  China 
Sea. 

Our  transport  had  but  recently  left  the  dock  at  the 
Union  Works,  San  Francisco,  and  was  in  fine  sailing  trim. 
It  seemed  but  a  little  while,  as  we  stood  upon  the  aft  deck, 
before  nothing  remained  to  the  vision  of  the  three  tragic 
figures  in  the  legend  of  Mariveles  but  a  faint  outline  of 
the  grim  old  island  of  Corregidor  with  her  bristling  bat- 
teries of  twelve-inch  guns. 

Although  the  two  lonely  rocks  on  the  right  and  left  of 
the  ancient  alderman  had  gradually  melted  away  in  the 
distance,  the  posted  visitor  who  leaves  the  Bay  of  Manila 
could  not  fail  to  carry  away  sad  recollections  of  the  un- 
fortunate young  priest  and  nun  who  died  with  unrequited 
love  three  centuries  ago. 


[73] 


CHAPTER  VIII 
THE  SHIP'S  PASSENGER  LIST 

The  Hong  Kong  Chair  —  Our  Passenger  List  —  A  Few 
of  Our  Doughty  Warriors  —  The  Stunning  Blonde 
from  the  West  —  The  Blinks  Family  —  The  Chic 
Bride  and  Six  Children  —  The  Young  American  and 
His  Dusky  Family  —  The  Unhappy  Soul-Mate  —  The 
Contented  Trio  —  The  Silent  Squad  Below  —  The 
English  Idea  of  Burial  Abroad. 

BEFORE  leaving  Manila  my  army  friends  had  induced 
me  to  purchase  one  of  those  comfortable  bamboo 
steamer-chairs  made  by  the  Chinese  and  known  as  the  Hong 
Kong  chair.  Although  the  voyage  was  to  last  but  four 
days  the  purchase  proved  to  be  an  excellent  investment. 

With  the  Hong  Kong  chair,  travel  at  sea  is  made  easy, 
and  more  than  that,  it  becomes  a  positive  luxury.  It  ef- 
faces time  and  distance  and  by  its  hypnotic  influence,  lulls 
the  seasick  traveller  into  the  enchanted  land  of  Sans- 
Souci. 

My  friends,  it  is  a  wonderful  institution,  a  multum  in 
parvo  and  the  need  of  every  family.  With  it  alone  house- 
keeping is  made  easy  and  further  furniture  unnecessary. 
It  is  so  cunningly  arranged  that  the  good  housewife  can 
use  it  for  a  serving-table,  a  bookcase,  a  couch,  a  rostrum 
from  which  to  administer  Caudle  lectures  to  her  husband, 
a  crib,  a  playhouse  for  the  children,  a  place  where  the 
cook  can  entertain  her  gentlemen  friends,  and  a  dozen 
other  useful  purposes. 

The  architect  of  this  wonderful  invention  had  woven  a 
circular  opening  into  the  broad  arm  of  the  chair,  which 

[74] 


THE  SHIP'S  PASSENGER  LIST 

the  Major  said  was  intended  for  a  glass  of  Scotch  and  soda. 
Renewed  admiration  seized  my  soul  when  I  realized  the 
thoughtfulness  of  honest  old  pig-tailed  John. 

"By  the  way,  Major,  you  promised  to  tell  me  something 
of  our  fellow-passengers  a  few  days  ago,  but  as  you  know, 
on  account  of  the  unsettled  condition  of  things  at  Mari- 
veles,  I  saw  very  little  of  any  one  but  yourself  and  the 
Judge." 

"Yes,  that  is  true,  Mr.  Rhodes.  "We  have  a  number 
of  delightful  people  aboard,  whom  I  would  like  you  to 
know.  Before  you  meet  them,  however,  I  will  tell  you 
something  of  them.  You  have  no  doubt  noticed  that  there 
are  several  senior  officers  on  the  ship,  in  fact  we  have  al- 
most enough  rank  aboard  to  sink  the  vessel. 

""Well,  in  accordance  with  a  well  established  army  cus- 
tom we  will  begin  with  the  senior  in  rank,  who  happens 
to  be  Colonel  A.,  whom  you  see  talking  with  that  stylish 
woman  in  pale  lavender.  The  dear  old  fellow  is  going 
home  to  retire  after  an  honorable  service  of  forty  years. 
He  is  a  gallant  soldier  and  a  courtly  gentleman  of  the  old 
school.  A  man  of  sterling  qualities  and  one  whom  the 
active  list  can  ill  afford  to  lose. 

"Standing  near  the  rail  with  field-glass  is  Colonel  B., 
who  is  my  beau-ideal  of  a  soldier,  a  Chevalier  Bayard, 
sans  peur  et  sans  reproche.  Like  Colonel  A.  he  has  an 
excellent  record  as  an  Indian  fighter,  and  wears  a  Medal 
of  Honor  for  exceptional  bravery  during  an  Apache  en- 
gagement. He  knew  every  mountain-pass  and  water- 
hole  in  Arizona  and,  it  is  said,  while  a  young  lieutenant 
frequently  rode  forty  miles  in  an  evening  to  attend  a 
Mexican  baile  and  back  to  the  post  afterwards  before  sun- 
rise. 

"The  handsome  woman  speaking  to  him  is  his  wife. 
She  is  the  daughter  of  a  distinguished  officer  and  was  a 
noted  army  belle. 

"On  the  opposite  side  of  the  deck  is  Colonel  C,  who  is 
going  to   Japan   for  the  purpose   of  recuperation.     The 

[75] 


ON  LEAVE   IN  JAPAN 

Colonel  is  a  fine  type  of  the  old  army,  the  embodiment  of 
honesty  and  devotion  to  duty.  The  elder  lady  with  him 
is  his  wife  and  the  younger  his  daughter. 

"That  distinguished-looking  officer  sitting  to  the  right 
is  Colonel  D.,  who  is  as  courtly  and  agreeable  as  hand- 
some. He  has  been  in  the  service  forty  years  and  has  an 
excellent  record  as  an  artillerist.  I  am  very  fond  of  the 
Colonel  and  you  will  find  him  as  modest  as  he  is  charm- 
ing. 

"Next  in  order  comes  bluff  old  Major  E.,  a  bold 
sabreur  and  as  gallant  a  knight  as  ever  sat  a  horse.  The 
petite  piece  of  femininity  by  his  side  is  Madame  who  is  as 
delightful  as  her  husband  is  cordial. 

"The  next  officer  in  rank  is  Major  F.,  of  the  miscel- 
laneous staff.  He  imagines  that  when  Napoleon's  star  set, 
his  arose,  and  wonders  why  the  War  Department  fails  to 
recognize  it.  His  handsome  wife  really  believes  him  to 
be  a  military  wonder  and  loves  to  dwell  upon  his  sol- 
dierly qualities.  I  understand  he  seriously  contemplates 
retiring,  in  which  case  he  would  no  doubt  return  to  his 
native  village  and  become  the  oracle  and  Fourth  of  July 
orator  of  the  place. 

"I  must  not  forget  to  mention  Miss  Gr.,  a  stunning 
blonde  from  the  West,  who  came  down  to  Manila  just  to 
say,  ah,  there!  for  she  only  remained  a  few  days  and  is 
now  en  route  home.  I  can  tell  you  honestly,  Mr.  Rhodes, 
that  she  would  prove  a  treasure  to  any  man  lucky  enough 
to  win  her.  She  can  pack  her  clothes  in  my  trunk  any 
day  she  wants  to." 

The  Major  discontinued  his  descriptions  long  enough  to 
take  a  deep  draft  from  his  glass  of  Scotch  and  soda. 

"Where  did  I  leave  off?"  he  continued;  "oh,  yes,  with 
Miss  G.  What  a  pity  men  have  n  't  sense  enough  to  know 
a  good  thing  when  they  see  it ! 

"Then  there  is  Captain  H.  and  his  wife,  who  are  off  to 
Japan  for  a  good  time.  Old  Blinks  comes  of  Scotch 
parentage  and  consequently  swears  by  Scotch,  but  prefers 

[76] 


Filipino  mestizo,  Manila 


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THE  SHIP'S  PASSENGER  LIST 

King  "William  the  Fourth.  Although  several  generations 
removed  he  has  a  burr  in  speaking  that  sets  one's  teeth  on 
edge.  Yes,  and  Mrs.  Blinks  is  all  right,  too,  and  so  is 
little  Blinks  who  is  a  worthy  scion  of  a  noble  sire. 

"Well,  let  me  see,  who  next?  Yes,  there  is  Captain  J., 
who  is  an  excellent  soldier  and  has  a  very  attractive  wife 
awaiting  him  in  'Japan  where  she  has  been  on  a  visit  for 
the  past  three  months  with  the  wife  of  Captain  K.,  the 
ship's  paymaster  who  is  also  a  splendid  fellow. 

"Then  there  is  Lieutenant  L.  and  his  wife,  both  of 
whom  are  from  old  Virginia  and,  curiously  enough,  are 
proud  of  the  fact !  She  is  rather  petite,  graceful,  a  blonde 
and,  more  than  that,  is  intelligent,  vivacious  and  pretty, 
and  speaks  with  a  deliciously  broad  Southern  accent.  She 
is  pleasant  to  talk  to,  doesn't  appropriate  her  neighbor's 
property,  nor  abuse  her  husband's  confidence.  The  lieu- 
tenant is  a  fine  young  soldier,  and  is  taking  her  up  to 
Japan,  I  feel  sure,  to  show  her  to  the  Mikado. 

"You  see  that  handsome  chic  blonde  in  pale  lavender 
with  whom  Colonel  A.  is  talking?  Although  she  has  six 
children  she  is  still  a  bride  and,  what  is  more,  has  n  't  seen 
her  husband  since  the  day  of  their  marriage  which  oc- 
curred over  three  years  ago.  She  was  a  widow,  of  course, 
and  her  husband  is  connected  with  the  diplomatic  service 
in  Tokio.  As  you  see  she  is  not  only  handsome,  but  stylish 
and  when  she  appears  on  deck  in  a  ravishing  display  of 
lingerie,  silken  petticoats,  and  hose  to  match,  it  is  enough, 
my  friend,  to  make  an  octogenarian  sit  up  and  take 
notice ! 

' '  To-day  she  's  a  dream  in  lavender ;  to-morrow  it  may 
be  the  daintiest  shade  of  apple-green  and  the  next  day, 
quien  sabef  You  may  rest  assured,  however,  that  the  old 
man  has  to  go  down  deep  into  his  wallet  to  decorate  his 
lady-love. 

' '  Standing  there  alone  and  looking  over  the  stern  of  the 
vessel  you  observe  that  sickly  looking  young  man.  He 
comes  from  a  distinguished  army  family  which  has  been 

[77] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

known  to  the  country  for  generations.  He  has  a  position 
in  the  Civil  Government,  but  returns  home  on  account  of 
illness.  Unfortunately  he  married  a  Filipino  woman  and 
has  two  children,  all  of  whom  are  aboard  but  rarely  leave 
their  stateroom.  She  is  very  dark,  uneducated,  and 
homely.  Why  he  married  her  and  what  his  aristocratic 
parents  are  going  to  say  when  he  presents  his  dusky  bride 
and  pickaninnies  I  am  at  a  loss  to  imagine.  Better  had 
he  hung  a  mill-stone  about  his  neck  than  made  such  an 
alliance. 

"I  must  not  forget  that  dapper  little  lieutenant  you  see 
playing  cribbage  with  the  little  light-haired  maiden  with 
the  soft  brown  eyes.  You  wouldn't  imagine  it,  but  she 
is  his  wife,  although  she  looks  like  a  sixteen-year-old  school- 
miss.  It  seems  to  me  that,  whenever  I  get  on  board  a 
transport,  I  always  meet  that  couple. 

"Well,  Mr.  Khodes,  you  begin  to  show  symptoms  of 
nervous  prostration,  but  I  would  fail  to  perform  my  duty 
should  I  neglect  to  mention  the  dejected  looking  blonde  in 
the  sailor-hat  you  see  sitting  near  the  entrance  to  the 
saloon,  who,  I  understand,  is  the  wife  of  a  civil  engineer 
employed  on  the  coast  fortifications.  She  was  seen  quite 
frequently  at  the  Army  and  Navy  Club  during  the  past 
Spring  and  Summer  with  a  gay  young  army  officer.  Her 
husband's  work  kept  him  closely  confined  at  Subig  Bay, 
so  madame,  to  escape  the  ennui  of  a  lonesome  and  isolated 
station,  made  bi-weekly  trips  to  the  metropolis.  Of  course 
the  affair  terminated  in  a  scandal  and,  although  the  young 
officer  would  have  completed  his  tour  of  service  within  a 
few  months,  he  was  sent  away  from  Manila. 

"Brace  up,  Mr.  Rhodes;  I  have  nothing  left  to  descant 
upon,  except  the  quiet-looking  trio  leaning  over  the  rail 
and  looking  toward  Subig  Bay  which  we  are  now  passing. 
That  faded  little  blonde  with  pale  blue  eyes,  and  the  young 
man  on  her  right,  have  been  regularly  messing  at  the  club 
for  several  weeks  past  and  as  they  appeared  to  be  stran- 
gers in  Manila  were  naturally  taken  for  man  and  wife. 

[78] 


THE  SHIP'S  PASSENGER  LIST 

She  appeared  so  demure  and  modest  in  the  dining-room, 
that  the  army  ladies  suspected  her  of  being  a  village  bride, 
and  when  they  saw  the  devoted  couple  on  the  streets,  in 
the  cafes  and  on  the  Luneta  every  evening,  never  doubted 
longer  the  question  of  marriage. 

"  Several  weeks  later  number  two,  whom  you  see  on  her 
left,  appeared  and  turned  out  to  be  the  real  husband.  He 
had  suddenly  received  orders  from  Washington  to  proceed 
home,  so  came  unexpectedly  to  Manila,  picked  up  the  little 
ingenue,  and  here  they  are." 

"What  about  her  friend,  the  young  lieutenant,  Major, 
and  how  did  it  happen  that  he  came  also  ? ' ' 

"Why,  my  friend,"  replied  the  Major,  "have  you  not 
lived  long  enough  to  know  that  'love  will  always  find  a 
way'?  The  little  scoundrel,  who  hails  somewhere  from 
the  mountains  of  Tennessee,  suddenly  discovered  that  he 
was  suffering  from  Filipinitis,  a  recent  disease  in  the  Phil- 
ippines, and  worked  the  surgeon  for  a  six  months'  sick- 
leave.  As  you  observe,  she  's  happy,  the  lieutenant  is 
beaming  with  joy,  and  the  husband  appears  perfectly  con- 
tented, so  what  's  the  difference  where  ignorance  is  bliss  ? ' ' 

"One  moment,  Major,"  said  the  Judge,  "there  is  the 
silent  squad  below,  before  whom  we  should  all  uncover, 
the  mute  heroes  who  will  never  cross  the  seas  again." 

1 '  Yes,  that  is  true,  Mr.  Rhodes ;  down  between  decks  lie 
a  dozen  or  more  of  our  young  soldiers  wrapped  in  the 
drapery  of  death.  Some  of  them  came  over  a  few  years 
ago,  others  quite  recently,  little  dreaming  that  they  were 
to  end  their  earthly  careers  in  the  Philippines,  and  that 
so  soon." 

"Is  it  possible  that  all  of  those  who  die  in  service  in  the 
Philippines  are  returned  to  the  United  States  for  inter- 
ment?" 

"  Yes,"  said  the  Major,  "and  many  of  the  civilian  dead 
as  well.  It  *s  a  great  mistake,  however,  and  should  be  dis- 
continued at  once.  The  American  people  are  the  most  sen- 
timental and  hysterical  people  in  the  world.     Shortly  after 

[79] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

the  Insurrection  a  few  maudlin  country-editors  wrote 
articles  about  the  brave  boys  who  had  sacrificed  their  lives 
for  the  country  and  were  buried  in  the  distant  Philippines, 
far  away  from  loving  mother,  father,  and  home.  The  mat- 
ter was  taken  up  generally  by  the  press  and  the  Govern- 
ment was  forced  to  disinter  hundreds  of  the  dead  and  re- 
turn them  to  the  United  States  for  burial. 

"Any  one  acquainted  with  army  life  knows  that  quite  a 
number  of  the  men  died  under  an  assumed  name,  in  which 
case  there  was  no  possible  way  to  restore  such  dead  to 
their  families.  It  is  an  open  secret  that  many  of  our  dead 
soldiers  were  transported  home  and  interred  in  the  wrong 
family  cemetery.  Our  English  cousins  have  the  correct 
idea  in  regard  to  the  burial  of  their  soldiers  and  country- 
men who  die  abroad.  It  matters  not  where  they  are,  when 
the  final  summons  comes  they  are  interred  where  they  die. 
In  every  seaport  town,  from  Hong  Kong  to  Port  Said  and 
clear  across  India,  from  Kurachi  to  Chittygong,  you  will 
find  the  well-cared-for  cemeteries  of  the  English  colonist 
and  the  graves  of  their  beloved  dead." 


[80] 


CHAPTER  IX 

A  BRIEF  SKETCH  OF  FORMOSA 

A  Pleasant  Sail  Up  the  Coast  of  Luzon  —  The  Tragedy 
of  Piedras  Lighthouse  —  The  Precipitous  Cliffs  of 
Formosa  —  The  Early  History  of  the  Island  —  Its 
Primitive  Settlers  —  How  the  Island  Received  Its 
Name  —  Under  the  Control  of  China  and  Japan  — 
Spanish,  Portuguese,  and  Dutch  Supremacy  —  Under 
the  French  —  The  Treaty  of  Shimonoseki  —  What 
the  Japanese  are  Doing  for  Formosa  —  The  Flora 
and  Fauna  of  the  Island  —  The  Home  of  the  Rose 
and  Oolong  Tea  —  Principal  Seaport  Towns. 

THE  sea  was  calm  and  quiet  and  the  sky  sufficiently- 
overcast  to  make  sailing  pleasant  on  entering  the 
China  Sea.  The  course,  after  leaving  Corregidor,  lies  a 
few  miles  off  the  coast  of  Luzon  as  far  north  as  Cape 
Bojeador,  which  marks  the  southern  entrance  to  the  Gulf 
of  Lingayan.  So  all  day  long  we  steamed  along  the  beau- 
tiful and  picturesque  shores  of  Bataan  and  Zambales,  until 
10  o'clock  that  night,  when  we  lost  sight  of  the  Piedras 
lighthouse  whose  blinking  rays  could  be  seen  full  twenty 
miles  out  to  sea. 

Cholera  had  been  very  prevalent  along  the  northern  coast 
of  Pangasinan  and  Zambales  during  the  past  Summer  and 
just  before  I  left  Manila  the  report  of  a  tragedy,  which 
occurred  in  the  keeper's  family  at  Piedras  lighthouse,  was 
published  in  the  newspapers. 

The  keeper  at  the  time  was  a  native  with  a  wife  and  six 
children,  all  of  whom  lived  in  the  lighthouse,  which  is  quite 
isolated  and  some  miles  away  on  the  rocky  promontory. 
6  [81] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

It  was  observed  that  the  lamp  was  not  lighted  one  night 
during  the  height  of  the  epidemic,  resulting  in  an  investi- 
gation by  the  local  inspector. 

On  his  arrival  he  found  every  member  of  the  family 
dead  from  the  terrible  scourge,  except  an  infant  ten  months 
old  which  was  found  nursing  at  its  dead  mother's  breast. 

The  second  night  at  10  p.m.  we  caught  a  glimpse  of  the 
Garambi  lighthouse  on  the  extreme  southern  point  of 
Formosa,  four  hundred  miles,  as  the  crow  flies,  north  of 
Manila. 

The  following  day  until  noon  we  passed  within  a  few 
miles  of  the  island  and,  as  we  gazed  upon  the  precipitous 
cliffs  of  the  western  coast  falling  sheer  six  thousand  feet 
to  the  sea  below,  we  wondered  how  the  little  Japs  were  get- 
ting on  with  the  wild,  savage  tribes  which  occupy  the  moun- 
tain ranges  of  the  island. 

"Formosa,  Mr.  Rhodes,"  said  the  Major,  "has  belonged 
to  more  nations  than  any  other  colony  in  the  East  and  his- 
torically is  of  more  interest  even  than  the  Philippines. 

"I  had  the  pleasure  of  spending  several  weeks  there 
some  years  ago  and  enjoyed  my  visit  intensely.  I  would 
advise  every  one  who  visits  the  Far  East  to  go  there  if 
possible.  I  think  it  was  during  the  early  Summer  of  1901 
that  I  was  passing  down  the  coast  of  China  and  had 
stopped  off  to  spend  a  few  days  in  Amoy.  About  the  time 
I  arrived  there  one  of  our  naval  cruisers  was  going  down 
to  Kelung,  the  principal  northern  port  of  the  island,  and 
I  was  invited  by  the  captain  in  command  to  make  the 
trip. 

"Formosa,  as  you  know,  lies  but  a  short  distance  south- 
west of  the  lower  coast  of  China  and  is  less  than  a  day's 
sail  from  Amoy.  At  the  time  of  my  visit  Viscount  Kodama 
was  governor-general  of  the  colony  and  Baron  Shimpei 
Goto  his  executive,  which  made  a  strong  combination. 

"During  my  visit  there  I  went  as  far  south  as  Takow 
which  is  on  the  southeast  coast  and  the  terminus  of  the 
railroad  from  Kelung.     This  road,  although  begun  by  the 

[82] 


A  BRIEF  SKETCH  OF  FORMOSA 

Chinese,  was  finished  by  the  Japanese  and  is  two  hundred 
and  thirty  miles  long. 

"As  this  appears  to  be  an  opportune  moment  with  little 
else  to  occupy  us,  I  would  be  glad  to  give  you  a  brief  ac- 
count of  Formosa  if  it  would  prove  agreeable,"  continued 
the  Major. 

"I  certainly  would  like  to  hear  all  about  this  famous 
island,  so  please  give  us  the  details  in  full,"  I  replied. 

"Well,"  continued  the  Major,  "very  little  was  defi- 
nitely known  of  Formosa,  until  the  arrival  of  the  Portu- 
guese about  the  beginning  of  the  sixteenth  century, 
although  it  is  said  that  the  Chinese  Emperor  Yang,  about 
600  a.d.,  sent  an  exploratory  expedition  there  under  the 
command  of  an  officer  of  the  imperial  guard,  who  was 
unable  to  communicate  with  the  natives  so  returned  to 
China  with  a  few  captives.  The  Chinese  sailors  who  got 
within  range  of  the  island  returned  with  all  kinds  of 
fabulous  reports  about  this  mysterious  country  and  the 
fierce  savages  with  which  it  was  inhabited. 

"Until  the  twelfth  century  the  islanders  had  nothing 
whatever  to  do  with  their  neighbors  on  the  northwest,  the 
Japanese,  or  those  on  the  northeast,  the  Chinese.  How- 
ever it  is  reported  in  the  Chinese  chronicles  that  about 
that  time  a  large  party  of  these  savages  sailed  to  the  coast 
of  Fokien,  led  by  a  great  chief,  attacked  the  inhabitants, 
and  carried  away  all  the  metal  they  could  lay  their  hands 
on. 

"During  the  years  1403-1424  Emperor  Chung  Ho  of 
China,  who  claimed  suzerainty  over  the  island  at  the  time, 
paid  a  visit  to  the  various  sections  of  his  empire,  includ- 
ing Loochoon,  by  which  name  the  colony  was  known  then 
to  the  Chinese,  but  was  badly  treated  by  the  natives  who 
ran  off  to  the  hills  instead  of  giving  handsome  presents 
as  was  the  case  with  his  other  subjects.  On  his  return  to 
China  it  is  said  he  sent  a  ship-load  of  small  bells  which 
he  ordered  the  heads  of  families  to  wear  around  their  necks, 
as  was  the  custom  with  dogs. 

[83] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

"Very  little,  indeed,  is  known  of  its  early  history,  so  like 
that  of  the  Philippines,  previous  to  the  advent  of  the 
Spaniards;  it  melts  away  into  tradition  and  the  dim  vista 
of  the  past,  leaving  the  historian  to  pure  conjecture,  or  con- 
clusions derived  from  ethnological  study,  or  facts  recorded 
by  the  Portuguese,  Spanish,  and  Dutch,  who  visited  the 
island  about  the  beginning  of  the  seventeenth  century. 

"The  primitive  settlers  of  the  island  are  presumed  to 
have  been  the  negritos,  into  whom  was  engrafted  the  Malay 
blood  from  the  successive  waves  of  emigrants  who  fol- 
lowed the  warm  currents  from  the  Southern  islands.  The 
savage  tribes  have  many  of  the  characteristics  of  the  head- 
hunters  of  Bontoc,  Luzon  and  the  Dyaks  of  Borneo,  who 
originally  came  from  Java,  Sumatra,  and  the  islands  of 
Polynesia  centuries  ago  and  retain  to  the  present  day  many 
cruel,  fierce,  and  barbarous  customs.  About  1722  the 
savages  had  all  gone  up  into  the  mountains,  leaving  the 
fertile  plains  of  the  eastern  portion  of  the  island  in  the 
hands  of  the  Chinese  farmers  with  whom  they  were  hav- 
ing frequent  contentions.  In  order  to  stop  these  erup- 
tions the  Chinese  governor  built  an  embankment  down  the 
island  to  separate  the  savages  from  the  peaceful  settlers. 
Since  Japanese  occupancy  they  have  extended  a  line  of 
block  houses  along  the  embankment  and  established  sen- 
tries about  every  half  mile. 

"From  the  beginning  of  the  sixteenth  century,  the  fer- 
tile plains  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  island  were  overrun 
by  Chinese  emigrants,  especially  from  Amoy  and  vicinity, 
who  have  gradually  driven  the  savage  tribes  back  to  the 
mountainous  districts. 

"The  name  of  Formosa  was  given  the  island  by  the 
Portuguese  who,  on  sailing  for  the  first  time  along  the 
eastern  coast  with  the  green-clad  mountain-peaks  piercing 
the  clouds  above,  cascades  glittering  like  silver  ribbons  in 
the  tropical  sunlight,  and  terraced  plains  waving  with 
feathery  bamboo,  exclaimed,  lIXha  formosa,  ilha  formosa' 
(beautiful  island,  beautiful  island). 

[84] 


as1  ■ 


A  BRIEF  SKETCH  OF  FORMOSA 

"So  to-day  the  population  of  the  island  consists  of  a 
little  more  than  3,000,000  souls,  2,800,000  of  whom  are 
Chinese  or  Chinese  half-breeds,  100,000  savages,  90,000 
Japanese  or  Japanese  mestizos,  the  remainder  being 
Europeans. 

"For  many  centuries  Formosa  was  controlled  by  Jap- 
anese or  Chinese  pirates  who  made  their  headquarters  at 
Kelung,  the  northern  port  of  the  island.  The  Portuguese 
made  a  settlement  on  the  island  about  1590,  but  were 
driven  away  by  the  Dutch  while  trying  to  displace  them 
from  Macao.  The  Spaniards  then  took  possession  and  in 
turn  were  expelled  by  the  Dutch  who  held  the  island  from 
1626  to  1662,  when  they  were  driven  out  by  Koxinga,  a 
celebrated  Chinese  pirate  who  was  living  at  Amoy  and 
was  at  enmity  with  the  Tartar  kings  who  had  expelled  the 
Mings.  Koxinga  established  himself  on  the  island  in  1662 
as  king  and  reigned  until  1683,  when  he  died  and  his  gov- 
ernment reverted  again  to  the  Chinese. 

"From  that  time  until  1895  the  island  has  been  under 
control  of  China,  with  the  exception  of  three  occasions 
when  the  islanders  organized  a  kingdom  and  appointed 
kings.  In  1874  the  Japanese  invaded  the  island  to  avenge 
the  murder  of  some  of  their  people  and  left  again  after 
the  payment  of  a  suitable  indemnity.  In  1884  the  French 
government  took  up  arms  against  China  over  the  Tonkin 
boundary  question  and  for  eight  months  the  tricolor  floated 
over  Kelung  as  well  as  the  Pescadores.  If  Admiral 
Courbet  had  not  died  of  cholera  at  the  time  Formosa  might 
even  now  be  French  territory  as  well  as  Tonkin. 

"The  island  was  finally  turned  over  to  Japan  in  1895 
as  a  result  of  the  Chinese  treaty  at  Shimonoseki,  though 
she  had  first  to  overcome  the  natives  who  had  established 
a  republic  in  the  meanwhile.  The  area  of  Formosa,  in- 
cluding the  Pescadores,  amounts  to  15,000  square  miles 
and  is  about  as  large  as  Vermont  and  Connecticut  com- 
bined. 

"Before  Japan  acquired  Formosa  she  had  for  a  long 

[85] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

time  cast  wistful  eyes  upon  the  Philippines,  the  Pearl  of 
the  Orient,  and  no  doubt,  while  watching  the  various  in- 
surrections there,  was  dreaming  of  the  day  when  the  flag 
of  the  Rising  Sun  would  float  over  Fort  Santiago  in  the 
walled  city  of  Manila. 

"The  distance  from  Formosa  to  Manila  is  only  one  day's 
sail,  which  will  make  it  easy  to  convey  an  army  of  100,000 
men  from  one  of  the  southern  ports  to  Manila  whenever 
the  ambitious  little  Japs  desire  to  take  the  islands.  I  un- 
derstand that  a  standing  army  of  from  twenty  to  thirty 
thousand  men  is  kept  there  in  constant  readiness. 

"Lying  as  it  does  between  Japan  and  the  Philippines, 
Formosa  enjoys  both  a  tropical  and  temperate  climate, 
with  an  annual  wet  season,  which  occurs  during  the  winter 
months.  Kelung,  the  principal  seaport  on  the  north,  has 
the  record  of  the  fourth  wettest  place  in  the  world,  with 
a  downpour  during  the  year  of  one  hundred  and  fifty- 
eight  inches,  while  Cherraponzee,  India,  stands  at  the  head 
with  six  hundred  and  eighteen  inches  and  Port  Said  at  the 
foot  with  two  inches.  So  you  see,  as  far  as  rains  are  con- 
cerned, it  can  be  truthfully  said  that  during  the  winter 
months  in  Formosa,  they  are  'going  some.'  The  surface 
of  Formosa,  like  that  of  many  islands  of  the  Philippines, 
is  very  mountainous,  especially  its  central  and  western 
half,  while  the  eastern  third  is  level,  undulating,  and  very 
fertile. 

"Since  Japanese  ownership  the  island  has  undergone 
many  wonderful  changes  in  the  construction  of  wagon- 
roads  and  railways,  telegraph  lines,  telephones,  public 
schools,  courts  of  law,  governmental  and  local  administra- 
tion, and  development  of  natural  resources.  Immediately 
on  the  acquisition  of  Formosa  the  Japanese  installed  the 
public  school  system,  which  took  the  place  of  the  numerous 
small  Chinese  schools  in  which  were  taught  simply  the 
ideas  of  Mencius  and  Confucius.  Thousands  of  the  native 
children  to-day,  however,  are  receiving  a  liberal  Western 
education. 

[86] 


A  BRIEF  SKETCH  OF  FORMOSA 

"There  is  no  doubt  but  that  the  Japs  are  a  wonderful 
people,  and  especially  fitted  for  the  colonization  of  the 
Malay  races  of  the  East. 

"The  island  produces  practically  all  of  the  camphor 
supply  of  the  world  and  is  the  home  of  that  most  deli- 
cious and  aromatic  of  all  teas,  the  Oolong.  There  is  a 
legend  among  the  natives  that  a  planter  found  a  black 
serpent  wound  around  a  small  plant  on  his  plantation  in 
a  curious  manner,  which  so  excited  his  interest  that,  after 
killing  the  snake,  he  took  a  few  of  the  leaves  of  the  plant 
home  and  steeped  them  in  boiling  water.  Greatly  to  his 
surprise  he  discovered  the  fragrant  Oolong  tea,  which  de- 
rived its  name  from  the  serpent  which  is  as  black  as  a 
crow.  Besides  camphor  and  tea,  the  island  produces  rice, 
sugar,  coal,  oil,  gold,  salt,  sulphur,  hardwood,  and  many 
varieties  of  vegetables  and  native  fruits.  The  govern- 
ment has  a  monopoly  on  the  camphor,  salt,  and  opium 
trade  which  produces  a  large  revenue. 

"The  island  contains  also  a  number  of  wild  animals, 
such  as  the  tiger,  bear,  wild-boar,  monkey,  wild-cat  and 
goat-antelope,  besides  a  number  of  large  snakes  and  ven- 
omous serpents. 

"Formosa  is  noted  for  the  number  of  its  sweet  flowers 
and  fragrant  shrubs.  It  is  the  native  home  of  the  queen 
of  all  flowers,  the  rose,  and  produces  the  sweetest  jasmine 
in  the  world.  It  is  said  that  the  approach  of  a  native 
maiden  can  be  detected  at  a  distance  on  the  darkest  night 
by  the  perfume  of  the  sprig  of  jasmine  she  wears  in  her 
hair,  and  it  is  also  said  that  a  variety  of  tube  rose  grows 
on  the  island  whose  scent  disappears  altogether  during  the 
day  but  is  given  off  strongly  during  the  night. 

"The  Formosans  are  very  fond  of  ducks,  and  it  is  a 
common  sight  in  travelling  through  the  island  to  see 
flocks  of  many  hundreds  of  them  being  driven  through  the 
country  by  attendants,  with  long  poles,  wandering  around 
for  food  in  the  manner  of  sheep  herds  on  the  western 
plains. 

[87] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

"Taihoku,  a  town  of  6,000  inhabitants  on  the  north,  is 
the  seat  of  government.  Tainan,  with  50,000  people  on 
the  southeast  coast,  is  the  largest  city  on  the  island. 
Kelung,  on  the  north,  and  Arriping  and  Takow,  on  the 
southeast  coasts,  are  the  principal  seaport  towns." 


[88] 


CHAPTER  X 

ARRIVAL  IN  THE  HARBOR  OF  NAGASAKI 

The  Chain  op  Loochoos  —  The  Impatient  Son  op  Mars 
—  The  Death  op  the  Merchant  's  Wipe  —  Her  Burial 
at  Sea  —  Approach  to  Nagasaki  —  The  Masked  Bat- 
teries ALONG  THE  BLUFFS  —  THE  QUARANTINE  INSPECT- 
ORS—  Disappointment  op  Captain  J. —  His  Appeal 
to  the  Heartless  Sons  op  Nippon  —  The  Following 
Morning  —  Experiences  op  the  Sterilizing  Process  — 
On  the  Bluffs  behind  the  Station  —  Arrpval  in 
Nagasaki. 

ONG  before  the  last  golden  ray  of  the  setting  sun 
■A^  had  disappeared  below  the  western  horizon,  Formosa 
had  faded  away  into  the  southern  seas  and  while  the 
gallant  old  ship  was  bravely  ploughing  her  way  to  the 
north,  the  passengers  again  settled  down  to  the  tranquil 
life  of  a  quiet  sea. 

Sixty  miles  north  of  Formosa  we  passed  the  rocky  inland 
of  Hoo  Pin  Su,  while  to  the  east,  lying  fifty  miles  away, 
began  the  chain  of  the  Loochoo  islands  which  for  many 
centuries  have  belonged  to  Japan,  and  were  the  initial 
point  where  Saint  Francis  Xavier  began  his  missionary 
work  with  the  Japanese  in  1545. 

We  had  now  been  out  from  Mariveles  sixty  hours,  had 
reeled  off  seven  hundred  and  fifty  miles  of  the  one  thou- 
sand two  hundred  and  fifty  from  Corregidor  to  Nagasaki 
and  expected  to  reach  port  about  three  o'clock  on  the 
second  afternoon.  During  the  past  twenty-four  hours 
we  had  made  three  hundred  and  thirty-seven  knots,  a  most 
excellent  record  for  a   government  transport  limited   to 

[89] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

twelve  knots  per  hour.  The  extra  number  of  knots  gained 
however  was  not  due  to  extra  coal  used,  but  to  the  swift 
current  of  the  Black  Stream,  which  sweeps  along  the  steep 
western  coast  of  Formosa  from  the  warm  waters  of  the 
southern  seas. 

Everybody  was  anxious  to  reach  Japan,  yet  every  one 
was  satisfied  with  our  speed  except  Captain  J.,  who  was 
getting  excited  at  the  prospect  of  meeting  his  little  Dolly 
Varden  in  Nagasaki  and  the  cold  bottle  and  hot  bird  that 
was  to  follow  at  the  hotel  that  night. 

Although  the  ship  had  taken  up  an  Atlantic  liner  gait, 
this  impatient  son  of  Mars  growled  because  she  did  not 
go  faster,  and  had  made  frequent  trips  to  the  cabin  of 
the  chief  engineer  to  learn  why  he  couldn't  add  a  few 
extra  pounds  of  steam. 

The  captain  was  a  handsome  man  and  fond  of  dress  and 
during  the  past  few  days  had  been  busy  in  removing 
imaginary  spots  from  the  suit  he  was  going  to  don  on 
meeting  her.  The  ship's  quartermaster  said  nothing  but 
just  laid  low,  while  the  young,  motherful  bride  moved 
about  the  deck  in  an  exquisite  confection  of  old-gold  and 
rose,  followed  by  a  train  of  admirers. 

"Just  think  of  it,  Mr.  Ehodes,"  she  said,  "I  have  been 
married  to  my  dear  husband  over  three  years  and  have  n  't 
seen  him  since  the  wedding.  A  diplomatic  complication 
arose  between  the  United  States  and  Japan  unexpectedly, 
so  he  had  to  leave  me  a  few  hours  after  the  ceremony. 
Oh!  I  am  just  crazy  to  see  him,  so  I  can  really  get  ac- 
quainted with  the  dear  man,"  and  lifting  her  exquisite 
gown  just  high  enough  to  show  the  daintiest  little  slip- 
pered foot  encased  in  silken  hose  to  match  her  rose- 
colored  skirt,  she  wandered  off  to  the  aft  deck  of  the  ship 
in  company  with  a  handsome  young  blade  of  a  lieutenant. 

I  had  finished  breakfast  the  following  morning  after 
passing  Formosa  and  sat  in  my  comfortable  steamer  chair 
watching  the  encircling  rings  from  a  Reina  Victoria, 
dreaming  of  old  Manila  with  its  romances  and  hazy  past, 

[90] 


ARRIVAL  IN  THE  HARBOR  OF  NAGASAKI 

when  my  reveries  were  disturbed  by  the  transport  sur- 
geon, who  informed  us  of  the  death  of  the  unfortunate 
merchant's  wife  previously  mentioned. 

"I  am  not  surprised,"  said  the  Major,  "and  in  fact 
have  expected  it  ever  since  we  left  Manila.  This  is  the 
second  death,  and  I  wonder  who  will  be  the  third,  for  I 
have  frequently  observed  in  army  circles,  that  they  usually 
occur  in  cycles  of  three." 

"Let  us  hope,"  added  the  Judge,  "that  no  more  will 
occur  before  we  reach  Nagasaki." 

"Curiously  enough,"  continued  the  surgeon,  "the  poor 
woman,  whose  mind  was  perfectly  clear  until  the  end,  re- 
quested to  be  buried  at  sea  and  after  sunset.  I  am  satis- 
fied now  that  she  had  no  idea  of  ever  reaching  home  when 
she  left  Mariveles,  for  she  requested  me,  on  two  previous 
occasions,  to  see  that  her  body  was  buried  at  sea  in  case 
she  did  not  survive  the  journey.  The  quartermaster  has 
concluded  to  comply  with  her  last  request,  so  has  ar- 
ranged for  the  burial  at  eight  o'clock  to-night." 

"Well,  she  was  a  brave  little  woman,"  observed  the 
Major,  "and  I  pity  her  from  the  bottom  of  my  heart. 
But  why  do  you  suppose  she  wanted  to  be  buried  after 
sunset?" 

"She  was  a  woman  of  very  deep  religious  convictions," 
said  the  Judge,  "and,  besides,  sentimentally  inclined.  No 
doubt  she  was  aware  that  she  was  dying  when  she  came 
aboard  and  considered  the  appropriateness  of  burial  after 
the  day  was  spent." 

The  body  was  neatly  and  securely  enclosed  in  a  white 
canvas  case  the  foot  of  which  was  weighted  with  two 
heavy  iron  grate  bars.  The  ceremony  took  place  amid- 
ships at  the  appointed  hour,  the  body  resting  on  a  small 
gang-plank,  which  was  poised  over  the  ship's  side. 

The  funeral  service  of  the  Episcopal  church  was  read 
by  the  first  officer  of  the  ship,  and  at  the  final  words, 
"Earth  to  earth,  dust  to  dust,  ashes  to  ashes,"  the  flag, 
which  she  had  followed  across  the  distant  seas,  was  re- 

[91] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

moved  and  the  silent  little  figure  in  white,  under  the  star- 
lit canopy  of  Heaven,  glided  down  into  the  placid  waters 
of  the  China  Sea  now  tinted  by  the  brilliant  coloring  of 
a  glorious  tropical  sunset. 

With  bowed  heads  the  sad  party  watched  the  eddying 
circles  of  the  disturbed  water  for  a  few  moments  when 
the  bell  sounded  "go  ahead"  and  the  ship  moved  off, 
leaving  our  dead  asleep  forever  in  the  maternal  bosom  of 
the  mighty  deep. 

On  the  second  morning  following  my  brief  conversa- 
tion with  the  diplomat's  wife,  small  islands  appeared  over 
our  starboard  bow  and  we  were  thus  admonished  that  we 
were  approaching  the  land  of  the  Rising  Sun.  By  ten 
o'clock  larger  islands  appeared  and  by  noon  we  were 
within  thirty  miles  of  Nagasaki  and  safely  anchored  in 
the  harbor  at  3  p.m.,  the  hour  the  sailing-master  told  us 
we  were  to  arrive,  after  leaving  our  anchorage  in  Mari- 
veles. 

As  we  passed  through  the  outer  bay  at  Nagasaki  the 
practised  military  observer  could  detect  evidences  of 
masked  batteries  on  the  prominent  hills  along  the  shore, 
lying  in  wait  for  their  victims  like  great  lurking  Bengal 
tigers.  Whose  fleet  will  it  be,  I  wonder?  The  Japanese 
have  strongly  fortified  all  of  their  important  seaports 
and  have  hidden  the  batteries  so  cunningly  that  only  those 
informed  on  the  subject  would  imagine  that  the  beautiful 
and  picturesque  hills  surrounding  those  harbors  were 
fairly  bristling  with  heavy  guns  and  mortar  batteries. 

Shortly  after  casting  anchor  the  Japanese  quarantine 
boat  arrived  and  our  troubles  really  began.  Glittering  in 
gold  lace  and  braid  five  little  Japanese  clambered  up  the 
ship's  side  with  all  the  confidence  of  conquering  heroes. 
They  were  told  of  our  experience  with  cholera  at  Mari- 
veles,  a  fact  they  had  already  learned  through  their  con- 
sul at  Manila,  and  sentenced  us  to  four  days'  quarantine 
in  the  bay  to  be  followed  by  a  course  of  fumigation. 

"Very  sorry,  Captain,  we  cannot  allow  any  of  the  pas- 

[92] 


ARRIVAL  IN  THE  HARBOR  OF  NAGASAKI 

sengers  to  land  until  then,"  said  the  spokesman  of  the 
Mikado. 

"But,  your  excellency, ' '  interrupted  the  ship's  surgeon, 
"you  know  that  cholera  has  an  incubation  period  of  only 
five  days,  and  an  entire  week  has  passed  since  our  last 
case;  besides,  we  were  thoroughly  disinfected  before  leav- 
ing Mariveles." 

"Honored  surgeon,  are  you  not  aware  that  His  Imperial 
Majesty  reposes  entire  confidence  in  his  abject  servants, 
and  do  you  not  know  that,  were  a  few  of  the  lurking  germs 
within  your  noble  ship  to  get  loose  on  our  sacred  shores, 
—  click,  and  off  would  roll  our  heads?" 

The  matter  was  growing  serious,  for  but  a  short  distance 
away,  the  quartermaster's  launch  was  rapidly  approaching, 
with  three  anxious  passengers,  the  happy  bridegroom  and 
the  two  expectant  wives.  Yes,  there  was  the  great  diplo- 
mat from  the  court  of  the  Mikado,  armed  with  Japanese 
dolls  and  boxes  of  French  bon-bons  for  the  youthful  mem- 
bers of  his  family  and  an  exquisite  bouquet  of  violets  for 
his  lady  love.  And  the  handsome  wives  of  the  two  sons 
of  Mars,  yes,  they  were  there  too,  their  faces  beaming  with 
love  and  their  lips  covered  with  undelivered  kisses. 

My  friend  Captain  J.,  arrayed  in  his  spotless  suit,  one 
of  Ah  Sing's  choicest  productions,  stood  there  gasping 
and  dazed.  Then  breaking  out  into  the  vernacular  of  his 
ancestors  from  the  old  sod,  feebly  lisped  to  the  head  in- 
spector, "Oh,  me  darlint,  just  take  me  wad  and  turn  me 
loose,  I  ain't  got  much  money  but  a  good  excuse.  Och! 
your  excellency,  only  think  of  the  cold  bottle  and  hot 
bird!" 

"Mighty  and  honored  son  of  a  great  and  illustrious 
nation,  consider  but  for  a  moment  what  would  become  of 
me  should  I  allow  you  to  go  ashore  and  scatter  your  hon- 
ored germs  of  cholera  among  our  abject  people !  Parbleu! 
I  can  feel  the  sharp  blade  of  the  hara-kiri  knife  as  it  cuts 
its  way  through  my  unworthy  intestines!  Mighty  sons  of 
Mars,  I  am  sorry,  I  am  sorry!" 

[93] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

"Oh,  mighty  son  of  a  mighty  race,  cast  your  eyes  but 
a  moment  on  that  innocent  angel-face  of  me  darlint  in 
the  boat  below,  and  then  tell  me  I  can  go.  You  '11  break 
me  heart,  cruel  man ;  besides,  only  think  of  the  cold  bottle 
and  the  hot  bird  awaiting  me  at  the  hotel  to-night. ' ' 

"Renowned  son  of  the  West,  I  will  go  now  and  confer 
with  the  little  Tycoon  and  let  you  have  an  ultimatum  in 
the  early  morning.  I  am  sorry,  very  sorry  for  you,  but 
forget  it,  yes,  forget  it." 

"Och,  you  murderin'  devils!  Do  you  mane  to  till  me  I 
can't  go,  you  hyena-faced,  black-hearted  gutter-bum! 
Oh,  Holy  Mother,  let  me  die,  come,  take  your  little 
Willie!" 

The  inspectors  left  us  gazing,  like  the  Children  of  Israel 
of  old  on  the  promised  land  which  the  Lord  only  knew 
when  we  were  to  enter. 

The  unhappy  trio  in  the  launch  returned  to  Nagasaki 
shortly  after  the  inspectors  had  left,  wondering  why  Koch 
had  ever  discovered  the  cholera  bacillus  at  all  if  the  knowl- 
edge was  going  to  upset  the  world  in  this  manner. 

And  Captain  J., —  well,  he  went  to  his  stateroom  and 
when  I  saw  him  ten  minutes  later  he  had  his  feet  in  a  hot 
mustard  bath,  an  ice-bag  on  his  head,  and  a  bottle  of  King 
William  and  soda  by  his  side. 

At  9 :30  the  following  morning  the  representative  of 
the  little  Tycoon  with  his  four  assistants  arrived  and  an- 
nounced that  he  had  decided  to  disinfect  the  ship  and  pas- 
sengers during  the  day  and  allow  us  to  go  ashore  in  the 
afternoon.  Very  soon  thereafter  a  number  of  barges  ap- 
peared for  the  removal  of  the  men  to  the  quarantine  sta- 
tion, and  later  others  for  the  officers  and  remaining  first- 
class  passengers. 

The  arrangements  of  the  station  had  been  carefully  and 
scientifically  planned  and  would  reflect  credit  on  any 
Western  nation ;  in  fact  it  was  far  ahead  of  our  estab- 
lishment at  Mariveles.  The  clothes  of  every  one  were 
placed  in  separate  woven-wire  baskets,  ticketed  and  passed 

[94] 


Stone  lanterns  and  torii,  Sacred  Island,  Japan 


Famous  Torii,  Sacred  island  of  Miyajima,  Japan 


ARRIVAL  IN  THE  HARBOR  OF  NAGASAKI 

through  the  sterilizers,  while  the  passengers  were  pro- 
vided with  freshly  laundered  kimonos  and  slippers,  and 
ushered  into  individual  bath-rooms  which  were  well  pro- 
vided with  soap  and  towels.  Private  apartments  with 
bath-rooms  were  also  provided  for  the  ladies  and  within 
a  short  half -hour  the  entire  party  had  passed  through  the 
establishment  and  were  to  be  seen  happily  sunning  them- 
selves on  the  lawn  and  rocks  in  the  rear. 

Immediately  behind  the  quarantine  station  the  surface, 
which  rises  fifty  or  sixty  feet  in  height,  has  been  pro- 
vided with  pleasant  walks  and  comfortable  seats  located 
in  attractive  corners  from  which  fine  views  of  the  city  can 
be  obtained.  Together  with  the  'Judge  and  the  Major,  I 
ascended  the  little  hill  to  the  casino  which  stands  on  the 
crest  of  the  bluff,  and  there  a  scene  of  domestic  felicity 
and  happiness  greeted  my  vision  which  I  feel  should  be 
presented  to  my  readers. 

The  anxious  diplomat  had  evidently  conferred  with  the 
quarantine  inspectors  the  night  before,  for  there,  in 
ecstatic  bliss,  he  was  lovingly  holding  the  hand  of  his 
winsome  bride,  in  the  bosom  of  his  ready-made  family  of 
six.  Not  far  distant,  in  Ah  Sing's  spotless  best,  sat  Cap- 
tain J.,  dead  to  all  the  world  save  the  little  peek-a-boo  by 
his  side,  even  unmindful  of  his  sad  disappointment  of  the 
night  before,  and  the  loss  of  the  cold  bottle  and  the  very 
hot  bird. 

And  the  ship's  paymaster,  well,  he  was  too  busy  count- 
ing out  one  thousand  silver  plunks  to  the  Japanese  officials 
to  think  of  his  troubles,  for  the  entertainment  at  the 
quarantine  station  had  cost  Uncle  Sam  just  that  sum. 
Japan  is  poor  and  needs  the  money  in  order  to  get  ready 
for  her  next  war,  which  will  be  with  —  well,  with  whom  — 
quien  sdbet 

The  journey  from  Mariveles  to  Nagasaki  was  over,  the 
cholera  a  past  incident,  so  you,  my  gentle  reader,  may 
rest  assured  that  we,  who  were  en  route  to  Japan,  did  not 
linger  long  on  the  brave  old  ship  which  so  gallantly  and 

[95] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

comfortably  had  brought  us  over.  Shortly  after  our  re- 
turn to  the  transport,  those  of  us  en  route  to  Japan  bade 
our  friends  for  the  States  adieu  and,  securing  sampans, 
hurried  away  for  the  shores  of  the  Rising  Sun. 


[96] 


CHAPTER  XI 

A  SKETCH  OF  NAGASAKI 

Japanese  Sampan  Fleet  —  A  Japanese  Gondolier  — 
The  Modern  Sampan  —  Harbor  and  City  of  Nagasaki 
—  Japanese  Custom  Officials  —  The  Island  of  Des- 
hima  and  Dutch  Merchants  —  Nagasaki  Hotels  — 
The  Nine  Provinces  of  Kyushu  —  Area  of  Kyushu  — 
First  Appearance  of  Jimmu  Tenno  —  Empress  Jingo 
Kogo  and  Conquest  of  Korea  —  Her  Son  Hachiman, 
the  God  of  War. 

SURROUNDED  by  a  fleet  of  shouting  Japanese  sam- 
pan men,  vociferously  engaged  in  a  fierce  rivalry  for 
the  passenger  trade  of  the  ship,  we  finally  succeeded  in 
landing  our  trunks  and  valises  in  a  commodious  two- 
man  sampan  and  were  swiftly  sculled  across  the  lovely 
land-locked  harbor  of  Nagasaki  to  the  central  quay  of  the 
city  opposite  the  custom  house,  through  which  we  had  to 
pass  before  entering  the  sacred  domain  of  historic  Nippon. 

The  sampans  of  Japan  and  China  have  for  ages  been  as 
celebrated  in  the  Orient  as  the  gondolas  in  the  Queen  City 
of  the  Adriatic,  and  while  the  sampan  men  are  scarcely 
as  picturesque  as  the  gondoliers  from  an  aesthetic  point 
of  view,  they  are  much  more  so  from  an  artistic  stand- 
point. 

The  modern  sampan  of  the  Orient  is  comfortable,  com- 
modious, and  safe  in  the  roughest  seas.  Originally  con- 
structed of  three  single  planks,  as  its  name  implies,  this 
little  craft  has  gradually  developed  into  a  veritable  house- 
boat in  which  a  party  of  from  six  to  ten  can  be  com- 
fortably housed  and  transported.  Many  of  the  larger 
7  [97] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

ones  are  fully  forty  feet  long  and  provided  with  a  charm- 
ing little  cabin  amidship,  which  affords  ample  shelter  for 
the  passenger  during  hot,  cold,  or  rainy  weather. 

They  are  propelled  from  the  rear  and  sides  by  from 
one  to  three  scullers  who,  standing  erect,  force  the  boat 
along  quite  as  rapidly  as  the  ordinary  crew  of  Western 
oarsmen.  The  sampan  men  of  southern  Japan  are  very 
dark,  compactly  built,  and  remind  one  strikingly  of  the 
Malay  pirates  of  Moroland.  In  a  scanty  dress  of  loin 
cloth  and  Heavenly  smile,  their  magnificent  muscular  de- 
velopment and  compactness,  together  with  their  copper- 
colored  flesh,  suggest  very  strongly  bronze  statues  endowed 
with  life  and  motion. 

Nagasaki,  which  is  situated  on  the  southern  shore  of  the 
island  of  Kyushu,  possesses  one  of  the  best  and  deepest 
harbors  in  the  world,  and  from  a  standpoint  of  beauty 
and  picturesqueness  is  excelled  by  none  in  the  Far  East. 
For  three  miles  it  winds  through  a  narrow  inlet,  not  ex- 
ceeding a  quarter  of  a  mile  in  width  at  its  entrance,  and 
is  bordered  by  smiling  shores  indented  here  and  there  with 
small  bays,  over  which,  far  above,  tower  picturesque  and 
abruptly  rising  bluffs.  The  mouth  of  the  harbor  is 
guarded  by  four  small  islands,  while  at  the  farther  end 
of  the  bay  rise  abruptly  from  the  sea  the  Tarpeian  Rocks 
from  which  hundreds  of  Catholic  Christians  were  thrown 
during  the  dark  and  bloody  reign  of  the  early  Tokugawa 
shoguns. 

At  the  foot  of  the  encircling  hills  and  in  crescentic  shape 
along  the  narrow  step  of  land  lies  the  city  of  Nagasaki 
with  a  population  of  more  than  150,000  souls,  now  one  of 
the  busiest  marts  of  the  empire.  Constantly  to  be  seen 
in  this  port  are  the  ships  of  all  nations,  conspicuous 
among  which  floated  the  Stars  and  Stripes  a  few  years 
ago  when  Uncle  Sam's  magnificent  fleet  of  transports  was 
kept  busy  in  carrying  the  boys  in  khaki  to  our  possessions 
in  the  Far  East. 

[98] 


A  SKETCH  OF  NAGASAKI 

Along  the  western  shore  of  the  harbor  and  now  almost 
in  the  centre  of  the  town  lies  the  famous  island  of 
Deshima,  upon  which  was  located  for  two  centuries  and  a 
half  the  prison,  trading-post,  and  factories  of  the  Dutch, 
the  only  European  power,  which  during  the  time,  had 
access  to  the  Hermit  Nation.  The  island  is  now  joined 
to  the  mainland  by  a  causeway  and  is  covered  with  native 
shops  and  factories. 

Away  along  the  northern  shore  under  the  frowning 
cliffs  is  still  marked  the  fatal  spot  where  the  las"t  Portu- 
guese ship  was  burned  to  the  water's  edge  and  sunk  in 
1638,  because  she  entered  the  harbor  after  the  fearful 
edict  against  all  foreigners  and  native  converts  to  Chris- 
tianity was  issued.  Twelve  miles  below  the  mouth  of  the 
harbor  is  situated  the  island  of  Tadashima,  which  has 
proven  a  veritable  gold  mine  to  the  Japanese  government, 
on  account  of  its  wealth  of  bituminous  coal,  which  has 
largely  supplied  the  shipping  of  the  East. 

Along  the  hillsides  and  peeping  out  from  the  semi- 
tropical  growth  and  flowering  shrubbery  are  to  be  seen 
the  many  fantastically  shaped  temples  and  handsome 
miniature  villas  of  the  city.  On  the  crest  of  the  hills, 
back  behind  the  town,  stand  the  crumbling  ruins  of  the 
old  castle  of  the  lords  of  the  province,  from  which  coign 
of  vantage  can  be  obtained  an  exquisite  view  of  the  har- 
bor below,  filled  with  large  and  small  craft,  the  larger 
ones  idly  swinging  with  the  tide  at  anchor,  while  the 
myriads  of  smaller  ones,  like  busy  ants,  are  traversing  the 
channel  in  every  direction. 

Farther  up  and  still  beyond  the  hill-tops  on  the  plains, 
are  to  be  seen  numerous  cemeteries  in  many  of  which  re- 
pose the  ashes  of  hundreds  of  unfortunates  who  were  put 
to  death  because  they  abandoned  the  faith  of  their  fathers 
and  joined  what  was  called  by  the  native  inquisition  the 
"Corrupt  Sect."  Still  further  beyond,  the  visitor  passes 
through  the  smiling  fields  of  the  prosperous  farmer  who 

199] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

finds  a  ready  market  for  his  produce  in  the  thriving,  bus- 
tling town  below,  filled  with  thousands  of  well-stocked  shops 
and  thriving  merchants. 

Presented  to  the  Daimio  Nagasaki  Kotaro,  from  whom 
it  derived  its  name,  by  the  great  warrior  and  king-maker 
Yoritomo  in  the  twelfth  century,  Nagasaki  was  a  place  of 
no  importance  until  given  to  the  Portuguese  in  the  six- 
teenth century,  when  it  attracted  hundreds  of  foreigners 
and  thousands  of  native  Christians  and  bloomed  out  into 
a  trading-port  of  great  renown. 

The  Jesuit  fathers,  who  had  drifted  across  seas  before 
the  middle  of  the  sixteenth  century  with  the  Portuguese 
traders,  found  Japan  a  fertile  field  for  proselytism  in  con- 
nection with  the  alluring  bait  of  Western  trade,  which  was 
ardently  desired  by  the  daimios  at  that  time.  So  with 
little  difficulty  an  arrangement  was  made  between  the  rul- 
ing princes  and  the  Jesuit  priests  to  transfer  the  district 
around  the  harbor,  then  known  as  Fukae-no-ura,  to  the 
Portuguese,  who  laid  out  the  present  town  of  Nagasaki 
which  within  a  short  time  developed  into  a  prosperous  and 
populous  city. 

The  anchorage  of  the  transport  was  but  a  short  distance 
from  the  wharf,  so  in  less  than  half  an  hour  after  leaving 
our  ship  we  stood  before  the  custom-house  officials  to  un- 
dergo the  usual  inspection,  which  in  our  case  proved  very 
superficial  indeed.  The  Japanese  government  imposes  an 
import  duty  on  many  articles  of-  commerce,  among  which 
are  tobacco,  liquor,  cameras,  bicycles,  guns  and  other  neces- 
sary travelling  essentials  carried  by  the  thousands  of  for- 
eign travellers  who  are  now  pouring  into  her  dominions. 
Japan  is  very  considerate  of  the  visiting  foreigners  and 
exercises  a  reasonable  policy  with  regard  to  many  articles, 
which  could  be  held  up  for  duty  were  she  as  inflexible  as 
our  own  customs  officials  are  at  home. 

"Well,  gentlemen,"  said  the  Judge,  "it  is  now  nearly 
5  o  'clock  and,  I  fear,  too  late  to  see  much  of  the  city  to-day, 
so  I  suggest  we  proceed  to  a  hotel  and  attend  to  our  corre- 

[100] 


A  SKETCH  OF  NAGASAKI 

spondence  which,  I  feel  sure,  will  keep  us  busy  until  bed- 
time." 

"A  very  good  proposition,"  said  the  Major,  "provided 
we  can  find  a  suitable  hotel." 

"I  am  sorry,"  replied  the  Judge,  "that  the  Hotel 
Nagasaki,  which  you  see  a  short  distance  beyond  on  the 
Bund,  has  closed,  so  we  shall  have  to  accept  one  of 
the  smaller  hostelries,  the  Bellevue,  Hotel  de  Francia,  or  the 
Cliff  House." 

"If  you  will  leave  the  choice  to  me,"  added  the  Major, 
"I  will  select  the  Cliff  House,  which  name  sounds  good 
to  me,  and,  besides,  carries  with  it  a  train  of  pleasant 
memories  of  my  services  at  the  Golden  Gate. '  * 

"Muy  bien,  caballeros,"  replied  the  Judge,  drifting 
back  into  the  vernacular  of  the  land  we  had  recently  left, 
"out  of  deference  to  the  Major  it  shall  be  the  Cliff  House, 
which  bears  a  very  good  reputation,  I  understand.  The 
Nagasaki  was  running  during  my  last  visit  here  and  did 
a  thriving  business  during  the  days  of  the  Philippine  In- 
surrection. ' ' 

We  found  the  Cliff  House  entirely  satisfactory,  with 
comfortable  rooms,  excellent  food,  bath-rooms  and  an  ac- 
commodating Japanese  host.  Several  of  our  fellow- 
travellers  who  had  gone  to  the  Hotel  de  Francia  and  the 
Bellevue,  later  on  submitted  equally  flattering  reports  with 
correspondingly  reasonable  rates.  "We  had  finished  our 
breakfast  the  following  morning  and  were  enjoying  a  view 
of  the  beautiful  harbor  from  the  piazza  of  the  hotel,  when 
it  was  decided  to  lay  out  the  campaign  for  the  day. 

"Although  we  have  reached  the  land  of  the  Rising  Sun, 
Major,  don 't  imagine  that  your  commission  as  official  guide 
has  expired,"  said  the  Judge. 

"My  duties  as  guide  will  not  be  very  onerous  here  in 
Nagasaki,  I  feel  sure,"  replied  the  Major,  "for  beyond 
a  few  temples,  the  shopping  district  and  the  picturesque 
surroundings,  there  is  little  else  to  be  seen.  Nagasaki  at 
present  contains  a  population  of  over  150,000  souls,  and 

[101] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

is  well  provided  with  banks,  clubs,  churches,  shops,  and 
theatres,  but  its  principal  attractions  are  confined  to  its 
beautiful  environment  which  contains  many  attractive  re- 
sorts. 

''Nagasaki,  as  you  know,  Mr.  Rhodes,"  said  the  Major, 
"  is  the  capital  of  the  island  of  Kyushu  and  for  centuries 
was  practically  independent  of  the  remaining  portion  of 
the  empire.  Owing  to  its  distance  from  the  national  cap- 
ital and  lack  of  communication,  Kyushu  was  for  cen- 
turies almost  regarded  as  a  penal  colony  to  which 
refractory  and  bumptious  daimios  were  sent.  It  was  on 
account  of  its  distance  from  the  headquarters  of  the  cen- 
tral government  that  the  ruling  princes  of  the  island  be- 
came so  powerful  and  ultimately  a  menace  to  the  empire. 

"The  island  of  Kyushu  derives  its  name  from  its  nine 
provinces  and  is  the  most  southerly  of  the  four  large 
islands  comprising  the  empire.  In  fact  it  contains  8,000 
square  miles  and  is  as  large  as  Vermont  and  New  Hamp- 
shire combined.  It  played  a  prominent  part  in  the  ear- 
liest history  of  Japan  and  is  wrapped  in  the  mystery  of 
national  legend.  It  was  upon  this  island  that  the  great 
'Jimmu  Tenno,  the  conqueror  and  first  Mikado,  descended 
from  the  skies  to  succeed  the  Shinto  gods  who  had  ruled 
the  land  from  the  celestial  regions  until  his  birth.  He  is 
believed  to  have  descended  from  the  sun-goddess  Ama- 
terasu,  and  is  considered  the  progenitor  of  the  present  rul- 
ing house  which  is  regarded  by  the  Japanese  as  semi- 
divine. 

"It  was  also  from  the  sacred  soil  of  Kyushu  that  the 
Empress  Jingo  Kogo,  who  ruled  the  country  from  201-265 
a.d.,  sailed  with  a  gallant  fleet  to  make  the  conquest  of 
Korea  and,  during  her  three  years'  residence  there,  car- 
ried in  her  womb  her  son  Ojin,  now  known  as  Hachiman, 
the  great  God  of  War.  It  was  also  upon  this  island  that 
the  Portuguese  made  their  first  settlement  in  the  Far 
East    which    led    to    the    establishment    of    the    Roman 

[102] 


A  SKETCH  OF  NAGASAKI 

Catholic  faith,  with  the  terrible  sequence  of  wretchedness 
and  cruel  misery  following  its  eradication." 

"No  one  visiting  Japan  should  leave  the  country  with- 
out a  knowledge  of  this  interesting  episode  which  is  one 
of  the  darkest  pages  in  the  history  of  Japan,"  said  the 
Judge,  "and  I  suggest  that  the  Major  give  us  the  details, 
while  we  finish  cigars." 


[103] 


CHAPTER  XII 

NOBUNAGA,  HIDEYOSHI,  AND  IEYASU.     THE 
PERSECUTION  OF  THE  ROMANISTS 

Persecutions  op  the  Catholics  of  Japan  —  Nobunaga, 
hldetoshi,  and  ieyasu  —  the  battle  of  sekigahara 
—  Battle  op  Osaka  —  Death  op  Hideyori  —  Arrival 
op  Francis  Xavier  —  Similarity  op  Buddhism  and 
Romanism  —  Establishment  op  Romanism  in  Japan  — 
Departure  op  Francis  Xavier  —  Edicts  op  1587,  1607, 
and  1614  —  Crucifixion  op  Priests  —  Horrible  Perse- 
cutions op  NATrvE  Christians  —  Rebellion  of  Shima- 

BARA. 

THE  circumstances  connected  with  the  tragedy,"  said 
the  Major,  "are  so  deeply  interwoven  with  the  lives 
of  three  of  Japan's  greatest  rulers,  Nobunaga,  Hideyoshi, 
and  Ieyasu,  that  a  thorough  understanding  of  the  situa- 
tion necessitates  an  outline  of  their  histories. 

"Ota  Nobunaga,  who  was  of  noble  birth,  was  born  in 
1534  in  the  Province  of  Owari  and  reached  the  age  of 
manhood  at  a  critical  period  in  the  history  of  the  country, 
a  time  when  strong  men  were  needed  to  support  a  weak 
and  decadent  government,  then  in  the  hands  of  effeminate 
and  licentious  rulers.  The  ruling  shogun,  Ashikaga  Yoshi- 
fusa,  was  a  boy  of  eleven  years,  while  the  Mikado  Go- 
nara,  an  imbecile  weakling,  was  utterly  powerless  to  wield 
any  influence  whatever  against  the  mighty  feudal  lords, 
who  defied  royal  authority. 

"Nobunaga  rapidly  developed  into  a  warrior  of  re- 
markable skill  and  ability,  and  by  the  time  he  had  arrived 
at  the  age  of  thirty-four,  had  assumed  complete  control  of 

[104] 


NOBUNAGA,  HIDEYOSHI,  IEYASU 

the  royal  forces  and  become  the  de  facto  head  of  the  gov- 
ernment. Although  he  controlled  Japan  with  absolute 
power  for  twenty  years  he  never  attained  the  position  of 
shogun,  but  was  known  as  the  regent.  His  mantle  of 
authority  fell  upon  the  shoulders  of  one  of  his  most  skil- 
ful generals,  Hideyoshi,  in  1582,  in  which  year  he  com- 
mitted hara-kiri  while  hopelessly  surrounded  by  a  large 
insurrectionary  army  in  the  temple  of  Honnoji  in  Kioto. 
It  was  during  the  reign  of  Nobunaga  that  Catholicism 
made  such  prodigious  strides  in  Japan ;  indeed  it  was  said 
that  in  1567  in  Nagasaki  'there  was  hardly  a  person  who 
was  not  a  Christian.' 

"Hideyoshi,  who  is  commonly  known  in  Japanese  his- 
tory as  Taikosama,  a  title  of  exalted  rank,  without  ques- 
tion may  be  regarded  as  the  "Napoleon  of  Japan."  Of 
low  parentage  and  so  exceedingly  ugly  that  he  was  called 
"Monkey  Face,"  he  worked  his  way  up  to  the  greatest 
power  through  sheer  force  and  genius  and,  at  an  early  age, 
became  Nobunaga 's  most  powerful  and  trusted  lieutenant. 
After  the  death  of  his  patron  he  assumed  the  reins  of  gov- 
ernment, consolidated  the  empire  which  at  this  time  was 
disrupted  through  many  contending  factions  and  finally 
became  the  implacable  enemy  of  the  Roman  missionaries, 
who  had  become  so  strong  at  the  time  as  to  defy  the  govern- 
ment. 

"  Hideyoshi 's  great  dream  was  to  conquer  China  and  be- 
come emperor  of  the  East.  As  an  initiatory  step  to  this 
visionary  undertaking,  he  sent  a  large  army  across  the 
channel  from  Shimonoseki  to  subdue  Korea  in  1592.  The 
war  was  continued  many  years  with  varying  successes  and 
reverses,  during  which  time  Japan  partially  held  the 
peninsula.  The  Chinese  came  to  the  assistance  of  the  Kore- 
ans, and  undertook  to  settle  the  controversy  by  arbitration. 
They  sent  an  embassy  to  Hideyoshi,  loaded  with  rich  pres- 
ents and  a  letter  of  investiture  as  Emperor  of  Japan,  in- 
stead of  'Ming  Emperor,'  to  which  exalted  position  he 
aspired.     War  was  continued,  and  while  Korea  was  still 

[105] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

filled  with  Japanese  troops,  Hideyoshi  died  in  1598,  it  is 
said  of  anxiety  from  the  thought  of  the  great  sufferings 
his  troops  were  enduring  in  the  'Land  of  the  Morning 
Calm. '  It  was  during  this  period  that  a  number  of  Korean 
potters  were  introduced  into  Japan,  which  marks  the  era  of 
Japanese  ceramic  art. 

"On  the  death  of  Hideyoshi  the  control  of  the  country 
was  delegated  to  a  council  of  five  which  was  dominated  by 
the  great  Tokugawa  Ieyasu,  the  first  of  the  shoguns  of 
that  line  who  were  destined  to  rule  Japan,  until  the  Res- 
toration of  the  Mikado  in  1868,  two  hundred  and  fifty 
years  later. 

"Ieyasu  Tokugawa,  who  was  by  birth  a  minor  daimio, 
was  born  in  the  Province  of  Mikawa  and  became  one  of 
the  greatest  generals  and  rulers  of  Japan.  Having  been 
educated  in  camp  and  field  under  two  of  the  most  cele- 
brated and  skilful  warriors  that  Japan  has  ever  produced, 
Nobunaga  and  Hideyoshi,  he  learned  his  lessons  well  and, 
shortly  after  the  death  of  the  latter,  had  little  difficulty 
in  assuming  the  reins  of  government.  During  his  shogun- 
ate  the  capital  of  the  ruling  shogun  was  moved  to  Yedo 
(Tokio),  at  that  time  an  unimportant  fishing  village. 

"At  his  death  Hideyoshi  left  a  son  named  Hideyori,  five 
years  old,  whom  he  intended  as  his  successor  to  the  shogun- 
ate,  and  had  requested  Ieyasu  on  his  death-bed  to  see  that 
the  boy  was  appointed  on  arriving  at  the  proper  age.  Very 
shortly  after  his  death  the  governors  composing  the  council 
of  five,  which  he  had  appointed  to  run  the  government,  be- 
gan to  quarrel  among  themselves  and  to  form  factions. 
Jealousy  against  Ieyasu  very  soon  manifested  itself  and 
in  a  short  while  developed  into  war.  Mitsunari,  a  mem- 
ber of  the  council  who  was  a  Christian  convert,  charged  Ie- 
yasu with  infidelity  to  the  request  of  the  dying  Taiko  rel- 
ative to  the  appointment  of  the  young  man,  Hideyori,  to 
the  office  of  shogun. 

"In  view  of  the  position  that  Ieyasu  had  taken  against 
the  propaganda  of  the  Catholic  Church,  which  now  began 

[106] 


View  of  Fujiyama  from  Enoshima,  Japan 


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Fujiyama,  from  shore  near  Kamakura,  Japan 


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NOBUNAGA,  HIDEYOSHI,  IEYASU 

to  control  matters  political,  the  Jesuit  priests  threw  all  of 
their  influence  with  Mitsunari  and  thus  forever  burnt  the 
bridges  between  the  Catholic  Church  and  the  favorable 
consideration  of  the  powerful  Tokugawa  shoguns.  With- 
out delay  Mitsunari  sent  an  urgent  letter  to  all  of  his 
friends  among  the  feudal  lords  charging  Ieyasu  with  vari- 
ous misdeeds  and  crimes,  and  ambition  to  declare  himself 
dictator  and  assume  the  reins  of  government,  and  on  this 
pretext  succeeded  in  raising  an  army  of  128,000  men. 

"Ieyasu,  meanwhile,  raised  an  army  of  75,000  men  and 
rapidly  marched  to  a  small  village  named  Sekigahara, 
where  he  met  the  opposing  forces.  The  battle  which  oc- 
curred there  is  known  as  one  of  the  bloodiest  in  the  annals 
of  Japanese  history  and  was  won  by  Ieyasu,  although 
with  greatly  reduced  numbers,  on  account  of  his  superior 
military  skill  and  generalship.  The  loss  of  life  on  both 
sides  was  very  great;  the  confederated  army  under  Mit- 
sunari, it  is  said,  lost  over  40,000  in  killed  alone.  In  ac- 
cordance with  the  custom  of  war  at  the  time,  the  heads  of 
the  vanquished  foes  were  cut  off  and  buried  in  mounds 
called  Kubi-zuka,  which  can  be  seen  to-day  by  any  one 
who  goes  over  the  grounds  of  this  sanguinary  battlefield. 
On  account  of  its  location  it  is  known  as  the  battle  of  the 
'Plain  of  the  Barrier/  and  it  settled  most  definitely  the 
policy  of  the  country  for  the  next  two  hundred  and  fifty 
years. 

"For  a  number  of  years  thereafter  dissenting  elements 
arose  throughout  the  country  among  the  adherents  of  Hid- 
eyori,  who  had  now  grown,  in  1614,  to  a  youth  of  nineteen 
years  and  was  receiving  the  strong  support  of  the  Catho- 
lic missionaries  and  native  converts.  Ieyasu  saw  very 
plainly  that,  in  order  to  secure  a  stable  form  of  govern- 
ment, it  would  become  necessary  for  him  to  do  away  with 
the  heir  apparent,  especially  as  he  had  discovered  a  plot, 
through  the  Spanish  friars,  who  had  now  entered  the  coun- 
try through  the  Philippines,  to  reduce  Japan  to  the  sub- 
jection of  Spain  under  a  Christian  viceroy. 

[107] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

"In  view  of  this  conspiracy,  in  which  it  was  believed 
that  Hideyori  was  implicated,  Ieyasu  set  out  for  Osaka 
with  an  army  of  70,000  men  and  assaulted  the  castle  there 
in  which  the  young  man  and  his  mother  were  residing. 
The  siege  which  was  conducted  without  the  help  of  artillery 
lasted  a  long  time,  but  finally  the  enemy  was  induced  to 
leave  the  fortifications.  The  battle  occurred  on  the  third 
of  June,  1615,  and  was  most  sanguinary  in  character.  It 
resulted  in  the  complete  overthrow  of  Hideyori  and  his 
forces  and  the  destruction  of  the  castle  by  fire.  Diligent 
search  was  made  afterwards  for  the  young  prince,  but  it 
is  believed  that  he  committed  hara-kiri  on  learning  the 
results  of  the  battle  and  was  consumed  in  the  flames. 

"Now  having  described  the  three  principal  ruling  spirits 
of  Japan,  from  the  introduction  of  Catholicism  into  that 
country,  until  the  issue  of  the  edict  for  its  banishment  in 
1616,  it  will  prove  interesting  to  note  the  various  steps  in 
the  growth  of  that  religion  in  Japan. 

"Toward  the  end  of  the  fifteenth  century  Bartholomew 
Diaz,  a  Portuguese  navigator,  had  rounded  the  Cape  of 
Good  Hope  and  discovered  the  long-dreamed-of  sea-route 
to  India,  which  ended  for  all  time  the  supremacy  of  Ven- 
ice as  the  terminus  of  the  caravan  trading-route  to  the  East. 
Historians  tell  us  that  when  the  news  of  Diaz's  successful 
voyage  reached  Venice,  'bells  were  rung,  men  wept  in  the 
street,  and  even  the  bravest  were  silent.'  Others  followed 
the  sea-tracks  of  Diaz,  but  sailing  further  down  the  coast 
of  India  through  the  straits  of  Singapore,  finally  reached 
the  coast  of  China,  where  later  the  Portuguese  established 
the  colony  of  Macao,  the  one  at  present  remaining  Eastern 
colony  of  that  once  daring  and  courageous  race  of  navi- 
gators. 

"In  1542  Mendez  Pinto,  a  Portuguese  trader  and  navi- 
gator, sailed  into  the  port  of  Kagoshima,  which  is  the  cap- 
ital of  the  Province  of  Satsuma  on  the  southern  coast  of 
Kyushu  and  was  very  kindly  received  by  the  ruling  daimio. 
Before    leaving    he    presented    the    prince    with    several 

[108] 


NOBUNAGA,  HIDEYOSHI,  IEYASU 

harquebuses  and  some  powder  and  showed  him  how  they 
were  used.  During  his  delay  at  Kagoshima,  which  lasted 
several  months,  he  noted  that  the  iron-workers  of  the  prince 
had  made  six  hundred  guns  from  the  samples  he  had  given 
them  and  on  his  return  a  few  years  later  learned  that  over 
300,000  of  them  were  delivered  to  the  troops  in  the  island. 
When  Pinto  finally  sailed  away  he  took  with  him  two  Jap- 
anese who  had  become  proselytes  to  the  Catholic  Church 
through  the  ship 's  chaplain,  and  left  them  at  the  colony  of 
Goa  where  the  Jesuit  fathers  had  established  a  theological 
college. 

"These  two  natives  were  instructed  in  the  Christian 
religion  and  given  the  names  of  Paulo  de  Santa  Fe  and 
Juan.  It  was  through  the  information  gleaned  from  these 
two  natives  that  Saint  Francis  Xavier,  who  at  the  time  was 
at  Goa,  decided  to  evangelize  Japan.  He  returned  with 
Pinto  in  1549  and  landed  at  Kagoshima,  where  the  first 
Catholic  mission  was  established  in  Japan.  Had  Francis 
Xavier  been  able  to  foresee  the  cruel  punishment  and  ter- 
rible fate  which  was  meted  out  in  consequence  of  the  change 
in  faith  to  the  simple-minded  natives,  and  the  internecine 
strife  which  was  brought  about  by  the  contending  factions 
of  the  new  religion,  he  might  have  thought  it  better  a  thou- 
sand times  had  he  never  set  his  foot  on  Japanese  soil. 

•  ■  In  addition  to  the  two  Japanese  converts,  Saint  Francis 
Xavier  was  accompanied  on  his  journey  by  two  Jesuit 
priests,  Cosme  de  Torres  and  Jean  Ferdinand.  The  Prince 
of  Satsuma  received  the  strangers  in  a  very  friendly  way 
and  accorded  them  permission  to  preach,  so  that  within  a 
reasonably  short  time  a  numerous  Catholic  congregation 
was  established  in  Kagoshima. 

"The  similarity  of  the  forms  of  the  Buddhist  and 
Catholic  religions  is  so  great,  that  it  was  but  a  short  step 
from  the  pagan  to  the  Christian  religion,  hence  the  na- 
tives saw  no  reason  why  they  should  not  make  the  change, 
especially  as  they  had  become  tired  of  the  arrogance  and 
exactions  of  the  Buddhist  priests.     Each  had  monasteries 

[109] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

and  monks,  cloisters  and  nuns,  liturgies  and  prayers  in  a 
strange  language,  relics  and  reliquaries,  rosaries,  holy-water 
and  incense,  sacred  images,  consecrated  church-bells  and 
intoned  services,  altars  with  flowers  and  lighted  candles, 
shrines  and  miracle-working  saints  to  which  pilgrimages 
were  made,  priests  with  vestments  and  offerings,  eloquent 
preachers  and  great  congregations,  hermits  and  penitents, 
penances,  abstinence,  fasting,  celibacy,  and  intercessory 
prayers  for  the  dead.  Indeed  the  forms  and  ceremonies 
of  the  two  religions  so  realistically  correspond  that  the  co- 
incidence seems  more  than  accidental  and  it  would  natu- 
rally suggest  that  the  Roman  Church  had  practically  ap- 
propriated them  from  its  older  competitor. 

"Besides  the  orthodox  religions  of  Buddha  and  Shinto, 
the  holy  fathers  found  on  their  arrival  sects  which  corre- 
spond to  the  Protestant  faith,  with  priests  who  were  per- 
mitted to  marry  and  who  discouraged  penances,  pilgrim- 
ages, fasting,  ascetic  diet,  the  use  of  amulets  and  relics, 
and  commending  rather  a  trust  in  Buddha,  praying  to  him 
directly  without  priestly  intercession,  and  the  desire  to 
live  a  pure  and  righteous  life.  These  liberal  sects  were 
zealous  in  building  churches,  teaching,  and  practising  a 
religion  devoid  of  ritual.  So  strongly  did  these  sects  cor- 
respond to  the  simple  Protestant  faith  that  the  rigid  Bud- 
dhists said  they  outdid  the  Christians. 

"After  interesting  the  Princess  of  Satsuma  with  the  pic- 
ture of  the  Holy  Virgin  and  Child  Jesus  and  translating  the 
creed  of  the  Christian  faith  into  Japanese,  Xavier  sailed 
around  to  the  western  side  of  the  island  and  established 
himself  at  Hirado  where  he  was  cordially  received.  From 
this  point  the  following  year  he  sailed  to  Yamaguichi  in 
the  Province  of  Nagato,  where  it  is  said  he  endeavored  to 
secure  permission  to  establish  a  church  and  monastery  and 
to  preach  "the  Law  of  Buddha,"  but  was  refused  by  the 
daimio,  who  understood  the  intended  deception  and,  more- 
over, did  not  take  kindly  to  the  new  religion.     From  Yam- 

[110] 


NOBUNAGA,  HIDEYOSHI,  IEYASU 

aguichi  Xavier  travelled  to  Kioto  preaching  in  the  various 
villages  and  towns  en  route. 

"Owing  to  the  political  disturbances  and  unsettled  con- 
dition of  the  country  at  the  time,  he  was  not  received 
favorably  in  the  sacred  capital,  so  after  a  short  delay  he  re- 
turned to  Kyushu  and  finally  sailed  for  China  in  Novem- 
ber, 1551,  having  passed  two  years  and  three  months  in 
Japan.  Although  he  had  sown  the  seeds  of  Catholicism 
widely  in  Kyushu  he  never  returned  to  Japan  to  witness 
its  triumph,  for  on  the  way  to  the  island  of  Sancian  he 
was  taken  ill  and  died  on  the  second  of  December,  1552. 
His  body  was  taken  to  Malacca,  but  finally  was  removed  to 
the  cathedral  in  Goa. 

"After  the  departure  of  Saint  Francis,  Father  Kosme 
kept  up  the  work  in  Kagoshima  and  the  neighboring  prov- 
inces, receiving  additional  priests  and  lay  brothers  during 
the  following  years  from  Portugal  and  Goa.  During  No- 
bunaga  's  supremacy  and  the  early  part  of  Hideyoshi  's  rule 
the  work  of  conversion  proceeded  with  great  rapidity,  es- 
pecially in  the  island  of  Kyushu.  The  converts  were  by 
no  means  confined  to  the  lower  classes,  for  the  Jesuit  fa- 
thers made  it  a  point  to  secure  the  cooperation  of  the  noble 
families  and  ruling  daimios,  and  in  this  manner  coerced 
the  common  people. 

"The  powerful  Princes  of  Omura,  Chikusen,  and  Higo 
accepted  the  cross  and  became  such  zealous  followers  that 
they  destroyed  the  Buddhist  temples  and  idols  in  their 
provinces  and  directed  their  subjects  to  accept  Christianity 
or  leave  the  domain.  The  acquisition  of  trade  with  Europe 
was  greatly  desired  by  the  Japanese  at  this  time  and  proved 
a  tremendous  lever  toward  the  acceptance  of  the  Jesuits, 
who  worked  hand  in  glove  with  the  traders. 

"On  the  accession  of  Nobunaga  to  the  rulership,  he  at 
once  waged  war  against  the  powerful  orders  of  the  Buddhist 
priests,  who  at  this  time  were  insolent  beyond  endurance 
and   actually   controlled  the  policy   of  the   government. 

[Ill] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

Like  the  Catholic  countries  in  feudal  Europe  during  the 
same  period,  the  entire  empire  was  overrun  with  monas- 
teries and  tonsured  monks.  Nobunaga  decided  to  break 
their  power,  so  in  1571  he  burned  the  temples  of  Hieizan, 
three  thousand  in  number,  slaughtered  the  majority  of  the 
monks  and  banished  the  remainder. 

"The  action  of  the  Buddhist  priests  in  siding  with  his 
enemies  led  Nobunaga  to  favor  the  establishment  of  Chris- 
tian churches  and  thus  in  a  manner  play  into  the  hands  of 
the  Jesuit  priests,  who  carried  on  an  uninterrupted  cam- 
paign of  proselytism  all  over  the  land.  The  Jesuit  fathers 
entirely  misunderstood  the  reason  for  Nobunaga 's  friendly 
attitude  toward  their  religion,  for  it  is  an  historical  fact 
that  he  remained  until  the  day  of  his  death  loyal  to  the 
faith  of  his  ancestors  and  is  now  worshipped  as  a  Shinto 
god,  although  he  always  remained  friendly  to  the  Jesuits. 

"During  his  life  the  Catholic  Church  reached  its  greatest 
supremacy  in  Japan  and,  according  to  Professor  Chamber- 
lain of  the  University  at  Tokio,  had  enrolled  600,000  con- 
verts among  its  members.  They  had  established  churches 
in  Kioto,  Osaka,  Kamagawa,  and  Sendai,  and  had  gained 
a  footing  in  all  but  eight  provinces  of  the  Empire.  Ky- 
ushu was  entirely  Romanized  by  this  time  and  it  is  said  that 
the  converts  there  alone  numbered  over  200,000.  So  strong 
had  the  new  religion  become  that  Ieyasu  had  to  exercise 
the  greatest  diplomacy  and  policy  to  avoid  trouble  with  the 
powerful  princes  and  daimios  who  had  become  converted 
to  the  new  faith. 

"Nagasaki  had  now  become  a  Christian  town  and  had 
attracted  traders  from  all  parts  of  the  world.  The  gov- 
ernor of  Manila  wrote  a  letter  to  Hideyoshi  requesting 
authority  to  trade  and  despatched  with  the  embassy  four 
Spanish  Franciscan  friars.  At  once  a  bitter  feeling  arose 
between  the  Jesuits  and  Franciscans  on  account  of  the  in- 
vasion of  the  latter,  who  declared,  however,  that  they  came 
as  ambassadors  and  not  as  priests.  Pope  Gregory  the 
Eighth,  hearing  of  the  trouble,  issued  a  brief  in  1585,  de- 

[112] 


NOBUNAGA,  HIDEYOSHI,  IEYASU 

daring  Japan  Jesuit  territory,  which  was  very  distasteful 
to  the  Spanish  monastic  orders.  Notwithstanding  the 
Pope's  dictum,  Franciscan  monks  from  Manila  established 
themselves  in  Kioto  and  Nagasaki. 

"In  order  to  intensify  the  feeling  against  the  Spanish 
monks  a  report  reached  the  ears  of  Hideyoshi,  which  it  is 
said  came  from  a  Portuguese  sea-captain,  to  the  effect  that 
the  policy  of  the  King  of  Spain  was  first  to  send  out  priests 
to  convert  the  natives,  then  to  despatch  troops  who  would 
join  the  native  Christians  and  make  an  easy  conquest  of  the 
country.  It  is  recorded  in  history  that  one  of  the  court 
physicians  had  informed  Hideyoshi  that  he  had  observed 
that  the  Jesuits  were  converting  the  nobles  on  the  pretext 
of  saving  their  souls  but  that  it  was  simply  a  device  to  get 
ultimate  possession  of  the  country.  Hideyoshi  is  said  to 
have  laughed  at  this  remark,  but  changed  his  mind  when 
he  visited  Kyushu  and  found  that  so  many  of  the  nobles 
had  become  converts  and  that  from  130  to  140  foreign 
priests  had  entered  the  country. 

"He  had  now  become  suspicious  of  all  the  foreigners  and 
claimed  that  the  opposition  experienced  among  the  various 
factions  arose  from  the  plots  and  intrigues  of  the  Catholic 
priesthood.  Thereupon  he  issued  an  edict  in  1587  com- 
manding all  religious  teachers  on  pain  of  death  to  leave 
the  country  within  twenty  days.  He  allowed  the  Portu- 
guese merchants  however,  to  continue  their  trade,  but  for- 
bade them,  on  pain  of  confiscation  of  both  ship  and  cargo, 
to  introduce  more  priests.  The  order  was  disobeyed  by  a 
number  of  the  fathers,  so  in  order  to  show  them  that  he  was 
in  earnest  he  had  six  Franciscan  friars  and  three  Jesuit 
priests  arrested  in  Osaka  and  Kioto  and  taken  to  Nagasaki 
where  they  were  publicly  crucified. 

"On  the  death  of  Hideyoshi  in  1598,  the  Catholics 
espoused  the  cause  of  Hideyori,  in  opposition  to  Ieyasu, 
who  had  now  assumed  control  and  apparently  forgotten 
the  edict  of  1587  and  had  become  very  active  again.  Ie- 
yasu in  a  public  document,  in  1607,  called  attention 
8  [  113  ] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

to  the  previous  edict  on  the  subject  and  directed  governors 
of  provinces  to  put  it  into  immediate  execution. 

"In  spite  of  the  frequency  of  executions  during  the  years 
that  followed,  large  numbers  of  the  priesthood  still  re- 
mained in  the  country  until  1614,  when  Ieyasu  became 
very  much  excited  over  the  subject  and  issued  his  edict  of 
that  year  the  provisions  of  which  were  drastic  and  severe 
in  the  extreme.  . 

"It  was  now  ordered  that  not  only  all  of  the  priests 
should  be  sent  out  of  the  country,  but  that  all  European 
traders,  except  the  Dutch,  should  go  as  well ;  that  all  Chris- 
tian churches  should  be  levelled  to  the  ground  and  all  na- 
tive converts  be  required  to  recant  under  penalty  of  death. 
He  required  that  all  foreigners  in  the  country  proceed  at 
once  to  Nagasaki  for  embarkation  and  that  the  native  con- 
verts proceed  to  Tsugara,  the  northern  extremity  of  the 
mainland.  From  this  time  until  the  arrival  of  Commo- 
dore Perry  in  1853  the  country  remained  sealed  to  the 
world  and,  with  the  exception  of  the  Dutch  at  Nagasaki,  no 
foreigner  was  allowed  to  enter  it. 

4 '  In  order  to  enforce  the  edict  in  Kyushu  which  was  the 
centre  of  Catholicism,  he  sent  an  army  of  10,000  men  there 
under  the  leadership  of  zealous  anti-Christians.  On  Octo- 
ber 25  of  that  year  all  of  the  Jesuit  fathers  except 
eighteen  and  nine  lay  brothers  together  with  300  Euro- 
peans, left  for  China.  From  now  on  the  persecutions 
which   followed  beggared   description. 

"A  special  council  of  Christian  inquiry  was  organized 
to  hunt  down  native  converts,  who  were  subjected  to  every 
possible  kind  of  torture  greatly  resembling  the  Spanish  In- 
quisition. The  tortures  imposed  were  far  more  cruel  than 
death  itself.  Crucifixion,  drowning,  and  strangling  were 
merciful  compared  to  some  of  the  methods  of  punishment. 
They  were  executed  in  a  most  barbarous  manner  in  the 
sight  of  one  another,  hurled  from  the  tops  of  precipices, 
buried  alive,  torn  asunder  with  oxen,  tied  up  in  rice  bags 
and  set  afire,  left  to  starve  to  death  in  cages  exposed  to  the 

[114] 


NOBUNAGA,  HIDEYOSHI,  IEYASU 

public  gaze.  In  some  cases  spikes  were  driven  under  the 
nails  of  the  fingers  and  toes.  One  of  the  most  horrible  pun- 
ishments of  this  Japanese  inquisition  was  known  as  the 
'Torments  of  the  Fosse.'  The  victim  was  enclosed  in  a 
covering  with  nothing  exposed  save  one  hand  and  fas- 
tened by  both  feet  with  a  rope  which  was  drawn  up  over  a 
post  provided  with  a  cross  piece.  The  body,  head  down- 
wards, then  swung  in  the  pit  and  remained  in  that  position 
for  eight  or  ten  days  until  death  occurred.  The  suffering 
was  excruciating  as  the  victim  swung  in  the  fosse,  blood 
exuding  from  mouth  and  nose  with  a  terrible  pressure  on 
the  brain.  Should  he  recant,  a  motion  was  made  by  the 
free  hand.  It  is  said  that  all  of  these  punishments  were 
unknown  to  Japan  before  the  priests  from  Portugal  and 
Spain  found  their  way  there. 

"Until  the  missionaries  arrived  in  Japan  the  natives 
were  happy,  contented,  and  lived  a  peaceful  life,  worship- 
ping in  any  way  they  pleased.  Ieyasu  the  shogun  loved 
peace  and  was  a  patron  of  art.  He  established  schools  to 
encourage  literature  both  in  Fushimi  and  Kioto,  and  en- 
couraged trade  in  a  most  liberal  manner.  Ieyasu  died  in 
1616  but  his  son,  Iemitsu,  carried  out  his  father's  pro- 
gramme with  cruel  thoroughness.  Rewards  were  offered 
for  the  discovery  of  Christians  and  finally  every  person  was 
required  to  stamp  on  a  copper  plate  containing  an  image 
of  the  Saviour. 

"The  persecutions  dragged  along  from  year  to  year  un- 
til 1637  when  the  famous  revolt  of  the  Christians  at  Shim- 
abara  occurred  among  the  natives  in  the  Province  of  Ar- 
ima,  in  part  due  to  the  misgovernment  of  the  daimio.  It 
is  said  that  40,000  Christians  gathered  at  the  deserted  cas- 
tle of  Hara  and  defied  the  shogun.  This  is  known  as  the 
Rebellion  of  Shimabara  and  an  army  of  160,000  was  re- 
quired before  the  revolt  was  put  down.  An  order  was  re- 
ceived from  Tokio  to  put  every  one  to  death,  which  was 
done,  regardless  of  whether  it  was  man,  woman,  or  child. 
The  frightful  termination  of  the  rebellion  was  apparently 

[115] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

the  death-blow  to  Christianity  in  the  country,  although 
constant  watchfulness  against  the  'Corrupted  Sect,'  as 
the  Christians  were  called,  was  enjoined  by  the  authorities 
until  after  the  Restoration  in  1868. 

"We  are  told  that  the  name  of  Christ  for  centuries  after- 
wards became  a  term  of  reproach  and  would  blanch  the 
cheek,  bate  the  breath,  and  smite  one  with  the  fear  of  an 
earthquake  when  mentioned.  Throughout  the  entire  em- 
pire in  every  city,  town,  village  or  hamlet,  by  the  road- 
side, ferry  or  mountain-pass  stood  notice-boards  on  which 
were  prohibitions  against  crimes,  which  would  disturb  so- 
ciety, but  to  them  all  was  there  no  penalty  affixed  so  severe 
as  that  for  being  a  Christian.  The  very  sight  of  the  cross 
startled  ever  and  anon  the  simple  peasant,  added  increased 
maledictions  to  the  curse  of  the  Buddhist  priest,  made  the 
judge  to  shake  his  head  and  the  mother  to  hush  the  crying 
of  her  fretful  child  by  conjuring  with  the  name  of  Christ. 

"And  yet  in  spite  of  uninterrupted  alertness  on  the  part 
of  the  authorities,  accompanied  by  the  severest  punishment 
for  the  slightest  infraction  of  the  iron-clad  rules,  Chris- 
tianity withstood  every  test  and  lasted  in  secrecy  until  dis- 
covered in  the  villages  around  Nagasaki  as  late  as  1865. 
So  deeply  imbued  with  the  new  cult  had  some  of  the  fam- 
ilies become  that  both  father  and  mother  forbade  their 
tiny  children  to  recant,  preferring  to  have  them  accom- 
pany them  to  the  funeral  pyre,  although  they  were  so  ig- 
norant of  the  Christian  principles  as  to  know  little  more 
than  the  name  of  the  Holy  Virgin  and  the  Child. ' ' 

"A  very  remarkable  episode,  Major,"  said  the  Judge  as 
the  former  finished  his  story  of  the  persecutions  of  Chris- 
tianity in  Japan.  "But  you  know  that  wherever  the  Ro- 
man Church  has  been  planted  personal  liberty  has  been  re- 
strained, education  restricted,  and  civilization  retarded. 
Yes,  and  more  than  that,  for  the  history  of  every  country 
which  she  has  controlled  is  filled  with  pages  of  crime,  con- 
spiracy, insurrection,  murder,  and  war.  Look  at  France, 
Italy,  Mexico,  Cuba,  Spanish  America,  and  poor  old  de- 

[116] 


NOBUNAGA,  HIDEYOSHI,  IEYASU 

graded,  bigoted,  priest-ridden  Spain  herself,  the  head- 
quarters for  centuries  of  this  self-consuming  cult.  I  sin- 
cerely believe,  Mr.  Khodes,  that  had  Catholicism  never  got- 
ten a  foothold  in  the  Philippines  the  natives  there  would 
have  been  as  far  advanced  along  the  lines  of  civilization  as 
pagan  Japan  is  to-day." 

"Do  you  believe  Christianity  retards  the  civilization  of 
a  pagan  nation,  Judge?  "  asked  the  Major. 

"By  no  means,"  replied  the  Judge.  "I  believe  that 
modern  Christianity  has  done  more  for  civilization  in  the 
Orient  than  every  other  factor  combined,  but  when  I  say 
Christianity,  I  refer  to  the  principles  enunciated  by  Christ 
on  Calvary  and  not  to  the  dogmas  conceived  by  ambitious 
and  unscrupulous  men  in  order  to  acquire  wealth  and  to 
gain  control  over  men  and  governments." 


[117] 


CHAPTER  XIII 

THE   BEAUTIFUL  ENVIRONMENT   OF 
NAGASAKI 

Japanese  Ricksha-Men  —  The  Ricksha  of  the  East  — 
Its  Invention  by  an  American  Missionary  —  The 
Bronze  Torh  and  Horse  —  The  Annual  Religious 
Festival  op  July  —  The  Moto-Kago-Machi  and  Its 
Shops  —  The  Fish-market  op  Nagasaki  —  Coaling 
Steamers  —  Trd?  to  Moji  —  The  "Waterfall  of  Kwan- 

non-no-taki peninsula  of  shimabara the  blind 

Masseurs  —  The  Disembodied  Spkits  of  the  Gulf  — 
Massacre  of  the  40,000  Christians  —  Japanese  Rail- 
roads and  Trains  —  Sleepers  and  Buffets. 

BY  the  time  the  Major  had  finished  his  account  of  the 
persecutions  of  Catholicism  in  Japan,  it  was  quite 
10  o'clock. 

"If  we  wish  to  see  anything  of  the  Southern  Capital  and 
its  environment,"  exclaimed  the  Judge,  "we  had  better 
start  now,  as  we  remain  but  two  days  in  Nagasaki. ' ' 

"  That  is  true,  my  friend,"  replied  the  Major,  "so  let 
us  go  below  at  once  and  secure  our  rickshas." 

Lined  up  below  in  front  of  the  hotel  were  a  dozen  or 
more  smiling  and  solicitous  ricksha-men,  bowing,  scraping, 
and  blowing  through  their  teeth  for  a  job,  patient  little 
sturdy  human  horses  in  their  dark  blue  cotton  blouses, 
knee  breeches,  and  straw  sandals,  their  heads  surmounted 
by  mushroom-shaped  hats  of  woven  split  bamboo.  Hour 
after  hour  are  these  willing  little  creatures  able  to  jog 
along  at  a  lively  gait,  cheerful  with  it  all  in  spite  of  the 

[118] 


ENVIRONMENT  OF  NAGASAKI 

heavy  well-fed  foreigners  they  are  compelled  to  draw  in 
order  to  eke  out  a  precarious  living  at  ten  cents  an  hour. 

The  tiny  two-wheeled  carts  with  regular  buggy  covers 
appear  like  baby-carriages,  and  require  a  certain  amount 
of  art  to  mount.  The  sensations  one  experiences  at  first 
are  more  or  less  droll  and  usually  evoke  considerable  mirth. 
All  over  the  East,  from  Japan  to  the  Straits  Settlements, 
as  a  matter  of  every-day  fact,  one  encounters  the  busy 
jinricksha-men  darting  down  long  courses,  across  cities, 
through  parks,  and  waiting  patiently  before  temples  or 
other  places  of  entertainment,  with  the  devotion  of  a  dog, 
for  the  small  pittance  they  finally  receive  when  the  day 
is  done.  They  become  very  useful  to  the  traveller  in  many 
ways,  for  they  not  only  transport  him  from  place  to  place, 
but  his  trunks,  valises,  and  packs  as  well.  Long  trips 
through  the  country  can  be  made  in  these  strong  little  car- 
riages, the  ricksha-man  not  only  acting  as  the  propelling 
force,  but  as  guide  and  interpreter  as  well.  Over  good 
roads  they  are  able  to  make  ten  miles  an  hour  with  ease. 

A  ricksha-man  in  rainy  weather  is  a  sight  worth  seeing 
indeed,  for  in  lieu  of  rubber,  their  rain-coats  are  made  of 
long  grass  and  straw  in  the  shape  of  a  short  cloak  drawn 
closely  around  the  neck,  while  they  wear  a  skirt  of  the 
same  material  and  likewise  a  conically  pointed  grass  hat 
which  hangs  down  over  the  ears.  The  tout-ensemble  is 
ludicrous  in  the  extreme  and  reminds  one  of  a  straw 
scarecrow.  The  jinricksha,  which  means  in  Chinese  a-one- 
man-power-carriage,  is  said  to  have  been  the  invention  of 
an  American  missionary  more  than  forty  years  ago  and  has 
become  so  generally  used,  that  it  is  scattered  from  Tokio 
through  Korea,  Manchuria,  China,  and  India  to  Singa- 
pore. An  enterprising  American  concluded  he  would  in- 
troduce them  into  the  Philippines  and  ordered  a  hundred 
for  Manila,  but  our  little  brown  brother  said  "no  quiero," 
so  the  scheme  "died  in  the  borning." 

As  the  Major  stated,  there  are  few  points  of  interest  to 
visit  in  Nagasaki  aside  from  the  few  temples,  the  shops,  and 

[119] 


ON  LEAVE   IN  JAPAN 

the  docks  and  engine  works.  The  principal  temple,  the 
O-suwa,  is  known  as  the  "Bronze  Horse  Temple"  and  be- 
longs to  the  Shinto  faith.  It  is  located  high  up  on  the 
hillside  and  is  reached  by  a  long  and  tiresome  stairway, 
at  the  foot  of  which  stands  the  largest  bronze  torii  in 
Japan.  The  bronze  horse  stands  in  the  temple  court  sur- 
rounded by  handsome  camphor  trees  from  which  an  ex- 
quisite view  of  the  harbor  is  obtained.  The  original 
temple  which  stood  on  this  site  was  destroyed  during  the 
seventeenth  century  and  replaced  by  a  Catholic  church, 
which  in  turn  was  destroyed  and  supplanted  by  the  pres- 
ent building. 

Nagasaki  has  been  noted  for  its  religious  festivals  and 
still  celebrates  with  great  pomp  and  ceremony  the  festival 
to  the  gods  of  O-suwa  and  to  the  spirits  of  the  dead  who 
are  supposed  to  visit  the  scenes  of  their  earthly  careers 
on  the  thirteenth  to  the  fifteenth  of  each  July.  The  shop- 
ping district  is  to  the  visitor  possibly  the  most  interesting 
locality  in  Nagasaki.  It  extends  fully  a  mile  and  a  half 
along  the  central  part  of  the  town  and  especially  along  the 
Moto-Kago-Machi. 

Many  beautiful  articles  of  art  are  exposed  for  sale  in 
the  attractive  little  shops,  such  as  fans,  cloisonne,  lacquer, 
ivory  carvings,  embroideries,  bronzes,  brasses,  porcelain, 
screens,  tortoise-shell  combs,  silks,  toys,  and  a  hundred 
other  useful  and  ornamental  articles.  One  of  the  special- 
ties of  Nagasaki  is  the  tortoise-shell  comb  which  is  carved 
to  perfection  by  workmen  who  have  inherited  the  art  from 
their  ancestors.  Besides  the  many  beautiful  combs,  some 
of  which  are  as  rich  as  dark  mahogany  while  others  are  as 
bright  as  taffy,  are  card-cases,  buckles,  hair  ornaments, 
fans  and  a  hundred  other  articles  made  of  tortoise,  which 
are  of  equal  finish  and  perfection  in  workmanship. 

The  fish-market  here  is  one  of  the  best  in  the  world, 
and  in  variety  Nagasaki  stands  second  to  none.  Across 
the  bay  are  located  the  ship-docks  and  engine  works.  The 
docks  are  sufficiently  large  to  receive  the  largest  sea-going 

[120] 


ENVIRONMENT  OF  NAGASAKI 

vessels  and  have  proved  a  great  blessing  to  the  shipping 
that  enters  the  port  there.  Quite  recently  the  Government 
has  turned  out  several  vessels  of  over  six  thousand  tons' 
burden. 

One  of  the  most  interesting  sights  in  the  harbor  occurs 
during  the  coaling  of  steamers  which  is  practically  per- 
formed by  women.  There  are  no  wharfs  in  the  harbor,  so 
everything  is  loaded  or  unloaded  from  lighters  or  cas- 
coes.  The  amount  of  coal  to  be  loaded  is  sent  out  on 
scows  accompanied  by  hundreds  of  women  who  pass  the 
coal  along  in  small  baskets  containing  from  forty  to  fifty 
pounds.  The  women  range  themselves  along  the  side  of 
the  ship  on  ladders  and  pass  the  baskets  so  rapidly  from 
below  upwards  that  the  baskets  almost  appear  as  though 
attached  to  a  revolving  strap  worked  by  machinery.  On 
the  backs  of  some  of  these  little  stevedores  can  be  seen  the 
babe,  its  little  head  wobbling  about  with  every  motion  of  its 
mother,  while  sound  asleep  and  apparently  dead  to  the 
noisy  crowd  around.  So  swiftly  can  a  ship  be  coaled  in 
this  way  that  the  Empress  received  over  two  thousand 
tons  in  less  than  three  hours  and  a  quarter  quite  recently. 

The  afternoon  was  pleasantly  passed  in  making  the  trip 
over  the  hills  to  the  little  village  of  Moji,  which  lies  on 
the  Gulf  of  Obama,  five  miles  away.  In  order  to  make  the 
trip  it  was  necessary  to  employ  two  men  for  each  ricksha, 
for  the  trail  leads  over  the  hills,  at  an  elevation  of  fifteen 
hundred  feet  above  the  sea  at  its  highest  point,  and  in  some 
places  is  quite  steep. 

The  beauty  of  the  scenery  well  repays  one  for  the 
fatigue  of  the  trip  which  is  attractive  and  interesting  the 
entire  distance.  On  the  crest  of  the  road  one  finds  a 
charming  little  hamlet,  where  refreshing  soft-drinks,  sake 
and  beer,  can  be  obtained,  as  well  as  the  universal  beverage 
of  the  country,  freshly  made  green  tea,  which  is  frequently 
drunk;  also  sponge  cake  and  peppermint  creams,  two  of 
the  noted  confections  sold  in  the  tea-houses  of  Japan.  In 
order  to  catch  the  American  eye  as  well  as  to  advertise 

[121] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

their  liquid  wares,  huge  announcements,  with  the  pictures 
of  many  of  our  prominent  generals  and  admirals,  were 
posted  on  the  walls,  bearing  conspicuously  in  large  let- 
ters the  words,  "Drink  Dewey  Tansan,  Miles  Sake,  and 
MacArthur  Beer." 

Moji  lies  in  an  inlet  of  the  Obama  Bay  and  commands 
a  fine  view  of  the  sea.  The  little  village  is  supplied  with 
several  semi-foreign  inns  where  an  excellent  fish  dinner 
can  be  secured  for  a  moderate  price.  A  small  steamer 
runs  from  this  point  to  the  town  of  Obama  across  the  bay, 
which  makes  a  delightful  outing  at  almost  any  season  of 
the  year,  for  the  climate  of  Nagasaki  is  very  comfortable 
in  the  winter  and  almost  semi-tropical  in  summer. 

There  are  a  number  of  pleasant  outings  in  the  vicinity 
of  Nagasaki  which  would  repay  the  traveller,  who  is  not 
pressed  for  time  and  is  in  quest  of  interesting  places  out- 
side of  the  beaten  tracks.  Only  five  miles  north  of  the 
city  and  but  a  few  minutes  from  the  Michino-o  station,  are 
located  the  popular  saline  springs  of  Urakami-Onsen,  which 
can  be  reached  either  by  train,  ricksha,  or  on  foot. 

To  the  east  of  Nagasaki  lies  the  celebrated  waterfall  of 
Kwannon-no-taki,  ten  miles  away  and  practicable  for 
rickshas  all  the  way  by  taking  the  road  which  passes 
through  the  village  of  Himitoge.  The  falls  may  be  reached 
on  foot  in  an  hour  and  a  quarter  by  taking  the  trail  to 
the  village  of  Yamagami.  The  little  temple  built  there  in 
1730  is  dedicated  to  Kwannon,  the  goddess  of  mercy,  who 
is  so  variously  represented  in  the  many  temples  of  the 
Empire.  The  Sanjusan-gendo  Temple  of  Kioto  contains 
33,333  images  of  this  celebrated  goddess,  one  of  which 
possesses  1,000  hands.  The  cascade  shoots  over  the  rugged 
cliffs  into  a  pool  fifty  feet  below,  which  is  surrounded  by 
planted  terraces  of  cherry  trees,  maples,  and  camellias,  and 
presents  a  most  gorgeous  and  striking  scene  of  beauty 
during  the  flowering  season  with  the  picturesque  back- 
ground of  the  hills  beyond. 

Four  miles  to  the  south  of  Nagasaki  rises  the  cone  of 
[122] 


^P 

^mm 

i 

■  y» , 

• : 

1 

li 

**'i»%4i 

-*     *'  * 

■ 

^WP^ 

Waterfall  in  Korakuyen  Park,  Okayama,  Japan 


Temple  Pagoda,  Osaka,  Japan 


ENVIRONMENT  OF  NAGASAKI 

Sarutazama  from  whose  lofty  peak,  1,500  feet  above  the 
sea,  can  be  obtained  a  glorious  panorama  of  both  land  and 
sea.  The  crown  of  the  mountain  is  known  as  "The  Vir- 
gin, ' '  and  it  competes  in  a  measure  with  the  famous  Jung- 
frau  of  the  Swiss. 

Before  leaving  Nagasaki  every  one  should  visit  the  his- 
toric Peninsula  of  Shimabara  which  lies  to  the  northeast 
and  is  connected  with  the  mainland  by  a  narrow,  moun- 
tainous isthmus.  In  going  there  the  traveller  can  take  the 
railroad  to  the  town  of  Isahaya,  or  make  the  journey  on 
foot  or  in  ricksha  across  country  from  Nagasaki,  via  Himi- 
toge,  Yamagani,  and  the  hamlet  of  Koba,  which  presents  a 
landscape  of  fine  perspective  and  surpassing  beauty.  In 
any  case,  after  leaving  Isahaya  the  journey  down  the 
shore  of  the  peninsula  must  be  made  in  ricksha  or  afoot, 
for  from  that  point  the  railroad  proceeds  north  to  Moji, 
the  northern  seaport  of  the  island. 

The  Peninsula  of  Shimabara  is  without  doubt  one  of  the 
most  beautiful  and  picturesque  sections  of  enchanting 
'Japan  and  possesses  a  historic  and  legendary  interest  equal 
to  its  physical  beauty.  Like  a  vast  portion  of  the  em- 
pire it  consists  of  rugged  and  magnificent  mountain  ranges, 
smiling  valleys  with  sparkling  streams,  and  an  artistic 
landscape,  dotted  with  towns,  hamlets,  and  feudal  castles. 

There  are  many  celebrated  health-resorts  in  the  penin- 
sula containing  thermal  springs  of  more  than  local  repu- 
tation, some  of  which  attract  patronage  from  remote  sec- 
tions of  the  empire  and  even  from  the  Chinese  coast. 
Obama,  on  the  eastern  shore,  consists  almost  entirely  of 
hotels  and  inns  and  has  become  quite  famous  as  a  health- 
resort  on  account  of  its  noted  chalybeate  springs  which 
possess  great  virtue  for  rheumatic  complaints. 

From  time  immemorial  in  Japan  the  profession  of  mas- 
sage has  been  delegated  to  the  blind  and  no  doubt  almost 
every  traveller  in  the  country  has  heard,  at  some  time  dur- 
ing the  evening  hours,  the  doleful  whistle  of  the  blind 
masseur  as  he  wends  his  way  home  after  the  day's  work 

[123] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

is  done.  An  imperial  edict  centuries  ago  prohibited  any 
but  the  blind  from  belonging  to  the  guild,  so  that  at  many 
of  the  popular  bathing-resorts  blindness  is  feigned  by  a 
few,  in  order  to  practise  the  art. 

The  story  is  told  of  a  prominent  American  society  woman 
of  Manila  who  visited  Obama  a  few  years  ago,  and  during 
her  sojourn  there  employed  a  masseur  apparently  hope- 
lessly blind.  She  remained  in  his  care  for  several  weeks 
and  was  surprised  at  his  wonderful  accuracy  in  finishing 
the  seance  exactly  at  the  end  of  the  prescribed  hour.  In 
consideration  of  his  total  loss  of  vision  the  patient  had  no 
hesitancy  in  divesting  herself  of  surplus  raiment  during 
the  massage,  but  was  very  considerably  surprised  on  one 
occasion,  in  looking  behind  her  suddenly,  to  find  her  ammo, 
sen  gazing  at  the  face  of  his  watch,  by  which  means  he 
had  ascertained  the  duration  of  the  treatment. 

From  Obama  a  path  leads  off  to  Kojigoku  which  lies  at 
the  foot  of  the  three  chief  peaks  of  the  Unzendake  range,  the 
highest  point  of  which  is  Fugen-dake,  5,000  feet  above 
the  sea,  from  which  point  a  magnificent  view  of  the  prov- 
inces of  Higo  and  Satsuma  can  be  obtained.  In  the  neigh- 
borhood of  Kojigoku  are  many  geysers  ejecting  water  from 
two  to  five  feet  in  the  air.  Fanciful  names  have  been 
given  to  some  of  them  on  account  of  the  peculiar  sounds 
they  emit,  as,  for  instance,  Dai  Kyokwan,  or  the  "Loud 
Wailing,"  the  Chuto  Jigoku,  or  the  "Second  Hell."  It 
was  into  some  of  these  boiling  geysers  that  the  Christians 
were  thrown  by  the  court  of  inquiry  established  by  Ieyasu 
in  1616.  Along  the  coast  of  the  peninsula  are  the  towns 
of  Kuehinotsu,  Arima,  and  Shimabara,  the  latter  two 
places  being  castle  towns  and  intimately  associated  with 
the  horrors  of  the  Christian  persecutions. 

On  the  waters  of  the  Gulf  of  Shimabara,  twice  during  the 
year,  from  midnight  to  early  dawn,  appear  thousands 
of  pale  red  globes  moving  about  on  the  surface  of  the 
waters  like  so  many  uncanny  Spirits  and  lighting  up  the 
coast  for  miles  around.    It  will  be  remembered  that  it  was 

[124] 


ENVIRONMENT  OF  NAGASAKI 

in  the  old  castle  walls  of  Arima,  a  few  miles  from  Shim- 
abara,  that  the  dreadful  massacre  of  the  40,000  Christians 
occurred  in  1638,  and  the  simple  natives  firmly  believe  to 
this  day  that  the  singular  lights  seen  on  the  bay  are  the 
spirits  of  the  disembodied  dead  who  return  bi-annually  to 
the  scenes  of  their  martyrdom. 

Our  visit  to  Nagasaki  was  over  and  we  felt  well  repaid 
for  the  two  days  passed  there  and  in  its  charming  envir- 
onment. The  trip  to  Moji  had  been  a  great  success  and 
our  appetites,  provoked  by  the  fatigue  and  excitement  of 
the  journey,  discouraging  enough  to  our  courteous  host. 

"You  have  evidently  enjoyed  your  visit  to  Nagasaki, 
Mr.  Rhodes,"  said  the  Judge,  as  we  sat  on  the  piazza  dur- 
ing the  evening  enjoying  our  cigars,  "and  I  am  sorry  we 
cannot  stay  longer.  We  have  a  long  journey  ahead  of  us 
and  a  short  time  to  make  it,  so  must  leave  to-morrow." 

"Yes,"  said  the  Major,  "three  months  to  travel  through 
'Japan,  Korea,  Manchuria,  and  China  and  to  return  to 
Manila  besides." 

"Less  than  three  months,  my  dear  Major,"  said  the 
Uudge,  "for  we  have  already  dawdled  a  week  of  our 
precious  time  away  since  leaving  Manila,  thanks  to  the 
cholera. ' ■ 

"Well,  gentlemen,"  said  the  Major,  "we  will  have  to 
arrange  our  campaign  to  meet  the  conditions,  so  I  propose 
that  we  spend  one  month  in  Japan,  ten  days  in  Korea,  ten 
days  in  Manchuria,  and  one  month  in  China,  which  will 
still  leave  us  four  days  from  Hong  Kong  to  Manila,  quite 
enough  time  to  get  home  without  a  court-martial." 

"The  division  of  time  suggested  by  the  Major,"  said  the 
Judge,  "seems  reasonable  and  I  vote  we  accept  it.  The 
next  question  of  importance  is  the  method  of  transporta- 
tion to  Yokohama,  whether  it  shall  be  by  water  or  rail. ' ' 

"Quite  important,"  said  the  Major.  "There  are  four 
excellent  steamship  lines  that  touch  here  from  Hong  Kong 
and  Shanghai  for  Yokohama,  the  Toyo  Kisen  Kaisha,  Nord- 
deutcher  Lloyd,  Nippon  Yusen  Kaisha,   and  the  Messa- 

[125] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

geries  Maritimes,  all  of  which  touch  Shimonoseki  and  Kobe 
en  route.  Then  there  is  the  Imperial  railway  which  runs 
from  here  to  Hok-kaido  on  the  north  coast  and  passes 
through  all  of  the  principal  cities  en  route." 

"From  what  point  do  we  sail  for  Korea?"  I  asked. 

"From  Shimonoseki,"  said  the  Judge. 

"Well,  gentlemen,"  I  replied,  "suppose  we  go  north  by 
steamer,  and  return  by  rail  from  Yokohama  to  Shimono- 
seki, which  will  give  us  an  opportunity  to  see  the  interior 
points  of  interest  and  the  wonders  of  the  Inland  Sea  as 
well." 

It  was  therefore  settled  that  we  leave  in  the  morning, 
going  by  rail  as  far  north  as  Shimonoseki,  which  important 
seaport  lies  at  the  entrance  of  the  Inland  Sea,  across  the 
strait  opposite  Moji.  All  of  the  5,000  miles  of  railway 
now  extending  through  Japan  belong  to  the  national  gov- 
ernment, except  four  hundred  miles.  Originally  built  by 
private  companies,  seventeen  lines  were  purchased  by  the 
government  through  the  Railway  Nationalization  Law. 
The  State  Lines  extend  from  Nagasaki  on  the  south  to 
Hok-kaido  on  the  north,  a  distance  of  1,700  miles,  which 
virtually  traverses  the  entire  empire,  except  the  Island  of 
Yezo  which  lies  across  the  Tsugara  Strait  in  the  extreme 
north.  Besides  the  State  line,  the  country  is  penetrated 
by  many  branch  roads  which  connect  the  principal  inland 
towns  and  seaports  with  the  main  north  and  south  line. 

Japanese  railroads,  which  are  patterned  after  the  Amer- 
ican system,  are  well  constructed,  excellently  run,  and, 
on  the  whole,  exceedingly  satisfactory.  The  mileage, 
first-class,  amounts  to  less  than  two  cents  per  mile,  while 
the  second-class  is  almost  equally  comfortable  at  about 
one  and  a  third  cents  per  mile.  The  rate  of  speed  is 
not  equal  to  American  express  trains  but,  on  the  other 
hand,  accidents  are  practically  unknown.  The  employees, 
from  the  conductor  to  the  fireman,  are  uniformed  and  all 
of  the  railway  stations  are  plainly  marked  in  English. 

The  sleepers  are  built  also  on  the  American  plan  and 
[126] 


ENVIRONMENT   OF  NAGASAKI 

many  of  the  passenger  coaches  are  provided  with  buffets 
and  separate  compartments  in  which  excellent  food  can  be 
secured  at  very  reasonable  figures.  The  following  articles, 
with  buffet  prices,  demonstrate  the  fact  that  as  late  as 
1908,  the  cost  of  travelling  in  Japan  was  still  within  the 
range  of  the  poor  man :  —  soup  12  cents,  fish  15  cents,  beef- 
steak 15  cents,  roast-beef  20  cents,  beef  cutlets  20  cents, 
roast  chicken  20  cents,  ham  and  eggs  20  cents,  omelet  15 
cents,  curry  and  rice  15  cents,  bread  5  cents,  tea  or  coffee  5 
cents,  cake  or  fruit  3  cents,  while  sake,  whiskey,  brandy, 
vermouth,  beer,  and  mineral  waters  ranged,  from  7  to  10 
cents. 


[127] 


CHAPTER  XIV 

ISLAND   OF  KYUSHU   AND   THE    SATSUMA 
REBELLION 

Departure  for  Shimonoseki  —  Picturesque  Scenery 
along  the  Line  of  Railway  —  Arita,  the  Home  of 
Beautiful  Porcelain  —  Takeo  and  the  Feudal  Town 
of  Saga  —  History  and  Legends  of  Kyushu  —  The 
Satsuma  Rebellion  —  Saigo  Takamori  as  Councilor 
of  State  —  Growing  Influence  of  Foreigners  at 
Court  —  Attack  on  Kumamoto  —  The  Campaign  of 
the  Rebels  —  Last  Stand  of  Saigo  —  His  Death  by 
Hara-kiri  —  The  Little  Cemetery  of  Kagoshima  — 
Statue  of  Saigo  in  Ueno  Park,  Tokio  —  Scenes 
Farther  North  —  Fukuoka,  Hakata,  and  Okura  — 
Arrival  at  Shimonoseki. 

ON  arrival  at  the  depot  the  following  morning  we 
found  many  of  our  fellow  transport-passengers  there, 
but  missed  the  charming  bride  with  the  silken  lingerie  and 
the  disappointed  son  of  Mars  who  had  been  tricked  out 
of  his  cold  bottle  and  hot  bird,  that  eventful  night  in 
Nagasaki  Bay,  by  the  little  band  of  his  Imperial  Majesty's 
quarantine  inspectors. 

The  train  left  at  9:30  a.m.,  and  although  we  did  not 
reach  Shimonoseki  until  7  p.m.  that  evening  the  journey 
was  very  pleasant  and  interesting.  The  day  was  bright 
and  glorious  and  the  rich  fields  of  rice  on  each  side  of  the 
road,  now  turning  yellow,  reminded  one  of  the  golden 
wheat  fields  of  North  Dakota  just  before  the  harvest  time. 
After  leaving  Nagasaki,  the  road-bed  follows  along 
a    pretty    valley    which     appeared     entirely     in     crop, 

[128] 


ISLAND  OF  KYUSHU 

as  well  as  the  sides  of  the  hills  as  far  up  as  their  tops, 
which  were  terraced  by  walls  of  solid  masonry.  The  pa- 
tient labor  expended  in  the  masonry  of  agricultural  ter- 
racing and  on  bridges,  rivers,  and  inland  streams  as  well 
as  the  shores  of  the  Inland  Sea,  fairly  dazes  the  foreign 
visitor.  During  our  entire  journey  scarcely  a  modest 
brook  was  seen  whose  banks  were  not  securely  confined  by 
walls  of  superb  and  compact  granite  masonry.  In  passing 
along  the  shores  of  the  Bay  of  Omura,  an  excellent  view 
of  its  surface,  its  pine-clad  islets,  and  background  of 
rugged  mountain  ranges  was  obtained.  The  scenery  was 
enhanced  a  thousand-fold  by  the  sky  lines  on  the  crest  of 
hill  and  mountain  planted  in  fantastic  trees  as  if  by 
design. 

Fifty  miles  north  we  reached  the  town  of  Arita,  made 
celebrated  centuries  ago  by  its  beautiful  porcelain,  which 
industry  was  started  by  Daimio  Nabeshima  about  1592. 
It  was  during  the  war  against  Korea,  which  Hideyoshi 
was  waging,  that  large  numbers  of  Korean  potters  were  sent 
as  captives  to  Japan,  and  this  marks  the  beginning  of  the 
ceramic  art  in  this  country.  The  manufacture  of  porce- 
lain soon  became  fashionable  all  over  the  empire  under 
the  patronage  of  the  leading  daimios,  and  hence  the  fa- 
mous potteries  of  Satsuma,  Owari,  Kaga,  Hizen,  Seto, 
Hirado,  Hakata,  and  many  others,  each  of  which  has  a 
specialty  of  its  own. 

From  Arita  on  to  Moji  many  interesting  and  historical 
points  are  passed  which  would  well  repay  a  visit  by  the 
traveller,  with  an  abundance  of  leisure,  and  a  desire  to 
become  better  acquainted  with  Old  Nippon  and  its  won- 
derful people.  Takeo,  farther  along,  is  noted  for  its  hot 
springs  and  oysters,  the  latter,  obtained  from  the  sea-coast 
near  by,  being  very  large  in  size  and  exceedingly  succulent. 

Beyond  Takeo  we  passed  the  old  castle  town  of  Saga, 

once  the  seat  of  the  Nabeshima  family,  the  powerful  feudal 

lords  of  Hizen.     Little  of  the  old  castle  remains  beyond 

a  few  crumbling  walls,  to  mark  the  stronghold  of  this 

9  [ 129  ] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

once  famous  family.  The  chief  feature  of  the  town  is  the 
Shim-baba  Park,  which  contains  shrines  dedicated  to 
the  ancestors  of  the  Nabeshimas.  Farther  on  we  reach  the 
town  of  Tosu,  the  junction  of  the  railroad  which  when 
completed  will  extend  south  as  far  as  the  town  of  Kago- 
shima.  Our  journey  to  this  point  had  been  delightful  and 
we  had  but  arrived  at  the  junction  of  the  southern  road 
when  the  Major  proposed  lunch  in  the  buffet  car. 

"I  am  sorry  to  leave  Kyushu  without  having  an  oppor- 
tunity to  become  better  acquainted  with  the  island,"  I 
remarked  to  my  friends. 

"You  could  spend  six  months  here,  I  am  sure,  and  still 
find  sections  of  the  island  worth  visiting,"  said  the  Judge. 

1 '  The  history  and  legends  of  Kyushu, ' '  added  the  Major, 
"are  as  interesting  and  rich  as  the  landscape  is  pictur- 
esque and  beautiful.  The  feudal  lords  in  this  section  of 
the  empire  had  become  very  powerful  from  the  beginning 
of  the  Tokugawa  dynasty  and  bitterly  fought  the  inno- 
vations from  Europe  after  the  restoration  in  1868.  One 
of  the  saddest  pages  in  the  history  of  dying  feudalism  is 
connected  with  the  powerful  Satsuma  family  of  Kagoshima, 
and  is  known  as  the  Satsuma  Rebellion.  If  you  are  not 
familiar  with  the  story,  Mr.  Rhodes,  I  will  be  happy  to 
give  you  the  details,  because  I  feel  that  no  one  should  visit 
Japan  without  being  acquainted  with  this  remarkable  page 
of  Japanese  history. 

"During  the  twenty-five  years  following  the  treaties 
made  with  the  various  European  powers  after  Commo- 
dore Perry's  visit  in  1853,  which  had  opened  the  Hermit 
Nation  to  the  world,  a  strong  reactionary  party  among  the 
natives  arose,  opposing  the  policy  of  Europeanization 
which  was  rapidly  progressing.  Many  of  the  old  cus- 
toms were  beginning  to  disappear  under  the  new  regime 
and  the  influence  of  the  foreign  embassies  which  had  be- 
come established  in  the  capital  city. 

"Among  the  leaders  of  this  party  was  the  powerful 
Lord  of  Satsuma,  whose  entire  clan  had  become  irrecon- 

[130] 


ISLAND  OF  KYUSHU 

cilable  to  the  state  toward  which  matters  were  tending. 
They  saw  that  with  the  new  liberal  form  of  government 
innovations  from  Europe  were  gradually  creeping  in,  and 
that  within  a  few  years  the  samurai  and  the  power  of  the 
daimios  would  disappear. 

"This  rebellion,  which  records  the  last  struggle  and 
death  of  the  feudal  system,  was  due  to  that  intrepid  spirit 
and  wonderful  soldier-statesman,  Saigo  Takamori,  who 
had  rendered  the  most  signal  service  during  the  restora- 
tion of  the  Imperial  Government  in  the  revolution  of 
1867-68.  Saigo  did  not  approve,  however,  of  the  rapid 
Europeanization  of  his  country  which  had  swiftly  fol- 
lowed the  Restoration  and  the  abandonment  of  the  time- 
honored  customs  and  traditions  of  his  people,  did  not  want 
foreign  embassies  established  in  the  country,  or  the 
Christian  religion  permitted.  He  cordially  hated  all  for- 
eigners and  considered  them  little  less  than  barbarians. 
Supported  by  a  strong  army,  himself  a  man  of  unusual  size 
and  handsome  appearance,  besides  possessing  a  strong  mag- 
netic personality  and  being  the  idol  of  the  samurai,  Saigo 
was  a  foe  of  no  mean  importance. 

"The  Mikado  recognized  his  growing  opposition  and  at- 
tempted in  every  way  to  conciliate  him.  He  was  invited 
to  Tokio  and  given  the  high  position  of  Sangi,  Councillor 
of  State,  but  owing  to  the  many  changes  resulting  from 
foreign  innovation  he  left  the  capital  and  returned  to 
Satsuma.  He  now  established  military  schools  through- 
out the  various  provinces  of  Kyushu,  in  which  the  art  of 
war  and  the  principles  of  Bushido  were  taught. 

"In  spite  of  the  liberal  tendency  of  the  national  gov- 
ernment at  Tokio,  Satsuma  and  its  lords  remained  as 
feudal  as  ever  and  chafed  under  the  growing  strength 
and  influence  of  the  foreigners  at  court.  Prince  Saburo, 
accompanied  by  a  hundred  of  his  samurai  dressed  in  the 
old  war  costume,  left  Kagoshima  for  Tokio  to  remonstrate 
with  the  Mikado  against  the  changes  which  were  taking 
place,  but  was  horrified  on  his  arrival  there  to  find  that  the 

[131] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

ancient  custom  of  wearing  two  swords  had  also  been  abro- 
gated by  an  Imperial  order. 

"For  centuries  past  the  samurai  had  regarded  the  privi- 
lege of  wearing  the  swords  of  their  ancestors  as  a  divine 
right.  It  is  said  that  the  haughty  feudal  lord  sadly  left 
Tokio  with  his  retainers  carrying  their  swords  in  cotton 
sacks,  instead  of  proudly  thrust  into  their  girdles  as  of 
yore,  and  that  the  sight  was  pitiful  and  humiliating  in  the 
extreme. 

"The  tension  under  such  circumstances  could  not  last 
long,  for  all  of  Kyushu  was  afire  with  discontent.  Dressed 
in  their  ancient  costumes  and  armor  and  armed  with 
swords  and  halberds,  about  two  hundred  of  the  samurai 
fell  upon  the  garrison  of  Kumamoto  and  slew  about  three 
hundred  of  the  Imperial  troops.  This  trouble  was  tempo- 
rarily patched  up,  but  the  following  January  the  govern- 
ment began  quietly  to  remove  the  powder  and  other 
munitions  of  war  stored  in  the  arsenal  at  Kagoshima.  To 
this  the  Satsuma  men  strongly  objected  and  began  them- 
selves to  appropriate  the  stores. 

"Admiral  Kawamura,  who  was  a  Satsuma  man  and  a 
relation  of  Saigo,  and  Prince  Saburo  were  sent  to  Kago- 
shima to  adjust  the  difficulty  with  the  rulers  of  the  island. 
Things  were  apparently  going  along  smoothly  enough 
when  five  boat-loads  of  armed  samurai  rowed  out  to  the 
Admiral's  ship  with  hostile  intentions,  which  ended  fur- 
ther negotiations. 

"Without  delay,  Saigo  now  assembled  an  army  of 
14,000  men  and  began  to  march  to  Tokio,  expecting  an  in- 
crease of  100,000  men  by  the  time  of  his  arrival  there. 
Unfortunately  he  delayed  at  Kumamoto  to  reduce  the  com- 
mand at  that  point,  which  was  securely  intrenched  in  the 
castle  of  the  town.  This  move  cost  him  the  success  of  the 
uprising,  inasmuch  as  the  delay  there  enabled  the  govern- 
ment to  transfer  a  large  opposing  army  to  Kyushu  to  meet 
Saigo 's  forces.     Battle  after  battle  was  fought  through- 

[132] 


X 
H 
Pi 
< 

o 


ISLAND   OF  KYUSHU 

out  the  island,  terminating  as  a  rule  in  favor  of  the  Im- 
perial forces. 

"In  spite  of  Saigo's  superior  generalship  he  was  forced 
south.  It  is  said  that  in  making  his  escape  he  exe- 
cuted his  retreat  in  a  most  masterly  manner.  Losing  town 
after  town  he  was  forced  to  Nobeaka,  which  was  finally 
taken  from  him  and  from  which,  with  a  few  hundred  of 
his  most  faithful  and  tried  samurai,  he  cut  his  way  out  and 
disappeared  among  the  mist-covered  hills  of  the  coast. 
The  remainder  of  his  army  surrendered  to  the  Imperial 
troops  and  the  rebellion  was  for  a  while  considered  at 
an  end. 

"But  not  so,  for  Saigo  with  his  unusual  force  and  per- 
sonal magnetism  had  gathered  around  him  another  army 
and  marched  rapidly  towards  Kagoshima,  his  ancient  cap- 
ital, which  immediately  fell  into  his  power  again.  Ad- 
miral Kawamura  assembled  his  fleet  there  shortly  after- 
wards, and  with  fresh  troops  the  rebels  were  forced  to  the 
summit  of  a  hill,  called  Shiroyama,  which  dominated  a 
large  portion  of  the  town. 

"Finally,  surrounded  by  an  Imperial  army  of  15,000 
men  and  reduced  to  a  fighting  force  of  500  samurai,  Saigo 
determined  to  sell  his  life  as  dearly  as  possible  by  fight- 
ing until  the  last  man  fell.  Again  and  again  he  was  re- 
quested to  surrender  by  the  friendly  foe  which  realized 
the  hopelessness  of  his  cause.  Seeing  there  was  no  pos- 
sible means  of  suspending  further  hostilities,  the  heavy 
guns  of  the  fleet  were  turned  on  the  devoted  band  of 
the  new  Thermopylae,  and  amidst  shot  and  shell,  assisted 
by  the  musketry  of  the  Imperial  troops,  within  a  few  hours 
all  were  killed  except  a  mere  handful  who  were  taken 
prisoners. 

"Saigo  fell  mortally  wounded  and,  though  in  a  dying 
condition,  sought  the  assistance  of  one  of  his  lieutenants, 
Hemmi  Jinroda,  who  performed  the  friendly  office  of  re- 
moving his  head,  after  he  had  voluntarily  submitted  to 

[133] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

the  time-honored  custom  of  hara-kiri.  The  dead  were  re- 
moved to  the  town  below  and  afterwards  to  the  cemetery 
where  Saigo  now  lies  surrounded  by  his  devoted  band 
of  samurai,  who  freely  sacrificed  their  lives  out  of  love 
for  their  distinguished  leader  and  the  principles  of  Old 
'Japan.  Should  the  traveller  who  visits  Kagoshima  go  to 
the  little  cemetery  there,  he  will  find  the  temple  lamp 
brightly  burning  to  Saigo 's  sacred  memory  and  many  of 
the  humble  natives  bowed  in  reverential v  prayer  before 
his  tomb.  He  is  still  loved  to-day  by  the  masses  and 
looked  upon  by  the  thousands  who  yearly  visit  his  grave 
as  one  of  Japan's  greatest  heroes.  Although  a  rebel, 
Saigo 's  reputation  has  never  suffered  in  public  esteem  and 
even  the  Imperial  Court  respects  his  memory.  The  ban 
of  degradation  was  removed  in  1890  and  the  dead  com- 
mander-in-chief reinstated  posthumously  in  all  his  honors. 
A  handsome  statue  has  since  been  erected  to  Saigo  by  the 
nation  and  placed  in  a  conspicuous  place  in  the  Ueno 
Park  of  Tokio." 

The  treatment  of  this  eminent  rebel  by  his  country  con- 
trasts strongly  with  that  accorded  the  great  Southern  pa- 
triot and  soldier,  Robert  E.  Lee,  whose  bust  was  denied  a 
niche  in  Statuary  Hall  by  the  sentiment  of  the  nation 's  un- 
reconstructed citizens,  although  like  Saigo,  he  spent  the 
best  part  of  his  life  in  the  service  of  his  country. 

By  the  time  the  Major  had  concluded  his  story  of  the 
Satsuma  Rebellion,  we  had  reached  Dazaifu,  the  old  cap- 
ital of  Kyushu  and  the  former  seat  of  the  governor-gen- 
eral. Before  and  during  the  Middle  Ages  it  was  con- 
sidered a  post  of  political  exile  and  was  usually  given  to 
men  of  high  rank  who  were  persona  non  grata  at  the 
shogun's  court.  Here  was  built  the  great  Shinto  temple 
dedicated  to  Tenjen,  copies  of  which  were  constructed  else- 
where in  the  empire. 

Farther  up  the  road  lies  Fukuoka,  formerly  a  castle 
town  and  the  seat  of  the  Kuroda  family,  the  lords  of 
Chikusen.    The  castle  is  now  occupied  by  national  troops. 

[134] 


ISLAND  OF  KYUSHU 

The  cemetery  contains  the  tombs  of  the  old  family  with 
square  shafts  over  the  graves  of  the  males  and  round 
shafts  over  the  females,  marked  in  old  Chinese  characters. 
The  Kurodas  were  one  of  the  most  powerful  families  in  the 
empire  and  became  early  converts  to  Catholicism.  The 
present  daimio  has  become  a  marquis  under  the  new 
regime,  and  his  son,  who  is  a  graduate  of  Oxford,  is  a 
prominent  anti-foreigner  and  anti-Christian. 

Hakata,  which  is  the  port  town  to  Fukuoka,  is  noted  for 
its  silk  fabrics.  Some  of  the  patterns  made  there  repre- 
sent frost  crystals,  or  moonlit  scenes  on  water  ruffled  by 
breezes.  Quite  recently  they  have  been  manufacturing  a 
beautiful  fabric  of  interwoven  pictures.  Besides  the  silk 
industry,  Fukuoka  is  noted  for  the  manufacture  of  a 
faience  which  is  an  excellent  imitation  of  the  celebrated 
Chinese  Yao-pien-yao.  This  ware  possesses  an  exquisite 
lustrous  glaze  of  the  flambe  type,  a  rich  transparent  brown 
passing  into  claret  color,  with  flecks  or  streaks  of  white 
and  clouds  of  iron  dust.  Between  Hakata  and  Moji  there 
is  no  place  of  sufficient  importance  to  warrant  a  stop-over, 
except  at  Okura,  at  which  point  the  Japanese  Government 
has  established  important  iron-works  on  the  model  of  the 
Krupp  establishment  in  Germany. 

Moji,  the  end  of  the  route  on  the  northern  border  of 
Kyushu,  has  grown  to  be  a  town  of  considerable  impor- 
tance since  its  establishment  as  the  terminus  of  the  Na- 
gasaki railway  in  1891  and,  on  account  of  its  sheltered 
position,  possesses  a  secure  and  safe  harbor. 

Our  train  arrived  on  time  and  shortly  afterwards  we 
were  transferred  to  a  comfortable  launch  belonging  to 
the  railway  system  and  conveyed  to  Shimonoseki,  one  mile 
across  the  channel,  the  western  gate  of  the  famous  Inland 
Sea. 


[135] 


CHAPTER  XV 

THE  SHIMONOSEKI  AFFAIR  —  VOYAGE  THROUGH 
THE  INLAND  SEA 

Arrival  at  Shimonoseki  —  The  Santo  Hotel  —  Shipping 
Point  for  Korea,  Manchuria,  and  China  —  The  Shi- 
monoseki Affair  —  Conditions  in  Japan  at  the  Time 
—  Captain  David  McDougal  and  the  "Wyoming" — 
The  Dutch  Frigate  "Medusa"  and  the  "Tancrede" — 
Bombardment  by  the  Allied  Fleet  —  The  Indemnity 
of  $3,000,000  —  The  Return  of  America  's  Share  — 
Battle  of  Dan-no-ura  —  Loss  of  the  Taira  Host  — 
The  Inland  Sea  and  Coast  Defences. 

THE  crimson  glow  of  the  early  twilight  was  deepening 
into  the  purple  shades  of  night  when  we  landed  on 
the  wharf  at  Shimonoseki  and  a  few  minutes  later  were 
wheeled  away  to  the  Sanyo  Hotel,  located  but  a  few 
hundred  yards  distant.  This  excellent  and  commodious 
hostelry  belongs  to  the  Imperial  railroad  system  and  is  con- 
structed of  concrete.  The  rooms  are  large  and  airy,  fur- 
nished with  modern  European  furniture  and  provided  with 
excellent  bathing  facilities.  Under  the  American  plan  the 
Sanyo  compares  very  favorably  with  railroad  hotels  in  the 
large  cities  of  the  United  States. 

In  completing  the  railroad  to  Moji  and  Shimonoseki  a 
few  years  ago  the  government  saw  the  necessity  of  con- 
structing a  suitable  hotel  at  this  important  point,  which 
is  situated  at  the  western  entrance  to  the  Inland  Sea  and 
is  the  port  of  departure  for  vessels  leaving  for  the  seaport 
towns  along  the  coast  of  Korea,  Manchuria,   and  China 

[136] 


THE  SHIMONOSEKI  AFFAIR 

and  is,  besides,  a  place  of  embarkation,  either  by  rail  or 
water,  for  travellers  from  Nagasaki,  Kagoshima,  and  in- 
tervening points  on  both  branches  of  the  Kyushu  railroad 
system. 

We  were  sorry  indeed  that  we  were  able  to  spend  but  a 
single  day  and  night  in  the  Gate  City  of  the  West,  as 
Shimonoseki  is  sometimes  called.  On  arrival  at  the  hotel 
that  evening  we  learned  that  the  Tennu  Maru,  of  the 
Toyo  Kisen  Kaisha,  was  due  from  Hong  Kong  the  fol- 
lowing morning  en  route  to  Yokohama,  so  decided  to  re- 
verse our  plans  by  going  north  via  the  Inland  Sea  and 
returning  by  rail.  "This  arrangement,"  said  the  Judge, 
"would  enable  us  to  pay  our  respects  to  Northern  Japan 
before  the  weather  became  chilly  and  disagreeable,  as  it 
frequently  does  early  in  October  in  the  vicinity  of  Nik-ko 
and  Matsushima. ' ' 

Although  Shimonoseki  is  a  town  of  no  special  interest 
and  possesses  but  one  long  street  which  runs  parallel  to 
the  strait,  its  strong  batteries,  concealed  by  the  heavy 
undergrowth  located  in  the  high  and  rugged  hills  in  the 
background,  make  it  one  of  the  most  strongly  fortified 
harbors  on  the  coast.  It  was  here  that  Li  Hung  Chang 
in  1895,  at  that  time  Premier  of  China,  signed  the  treaty 
of  peace  with  Japan,  by  which  Formosa  was  ceded  to  the 
Mikado's  realm  and  300,000,000  taels  paid  as  an  indemnity 
for  injuries  sustained  during  the  Chino-Japanese  War. 

Shimonoseki  lies  within  the  Province  of  Shoshu,  the 
domain  of  that  once  powerful  lord,  the  Daimio  of  Shoshu, 
who  not  only  defied  the  forces  of  the  shogun  in  1863,  but 
the  fleets  of  the  allied  nations  as  well. 

"The  Shimonoseki  Affair,  as  it  is  historically  known, 
Mr.  Rhodes,"  said  the  Major,  "fills  a  very  interesting 
page  in  Japanese  history,  and  it  would  afford  me  pleas- 
ure to  give  you  the  details  if  you  would  like  to  hear 
them." 

"My  knowledge  is  very  imperfect  on  this  point,  Major," 
I  replied,  "so  please  let  us  hear  the  story." 

[137] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

"Well,"  said  the  Major,  "before  relating  the  incident, 
and  in  order  to  fully  appreciate  the  situation,  you  should 
know  something  of  the  conditions  which  existed  in  Japan 
during  those  stormy  and  unsettled  days  of  national 
excitement. 

"On  the  arrival  of  Commodore  Perry  in  July,  1853, 
Japan  was  awakened  from  a  profound  slumber  of  two 
centuries  and  a  half,  a  condition  of  somnolency  which  had 
existed  ever  since  the  great  Tokugawa  shogun  in  1616  had 
sealed  the  country  to  the  outside  world. 

"In  connection  with  the  story  of  the  eradication  of 
Catholicism  during  the  early  part  of  the  seventeenth  cen- 
tury and  throughout  the  eighteenth,  which  was  sum- 
marized in  a  previous  conversation,  you  will  remember 
that  a  bitter  and  intense  feeling  had  been  fostered  in  the 
hearts  of  the  Japanese  people  against  foreigners.  This 
feeling  arose  after  the  fearful  edict  of  Ieyasu  in  1616 
and  burned  fiercely  until  the  very  day  they  were  forced 
by  American  bluff  to  open  their  country  to  the  civilized 
nations  of  the  world. 

' '  The  invasion  of  the  Barbarians,  as  the  Americans  were 
called,  and  the  treaty  which  had  been  exacted  from  the 
Yedo  government  on  July  27,  1854,  provoked  an  inter- 
necine war,  which  spread  from  Kyushu  on  the  south  to 
Hakadote  on  the  north.  The  anti-foreign  feeling  had 
grown  so  strong,  as  a  result  of  the  treaty,  that  the  lives 
of  Europeans  and  Americans  were  not  safe  from  the 
frenzied  mob  even  on  the  streets  of  Tokio,  under  the 
shadow  of  the  powerful  shogun 's  castle  and  the  protec- 
tion of  his  armed  samurai.  The  anti-shogun  party  in 
Kioto  had  withheld,  as  long  as  possible,  the  Mikado's  sig- 
nature to  the  final  treaty  in  1858  and  the  country  was  in 
the  throes  of  an  approaching  civil  war,  which  seemed 
inevitable. 

"The  progress  of  the  civilized  world  demanded  that 
Japan,  the  hermit  nation,  should  remove  the  barriers 
which  had  throttled  the  national  growth  of  the  Japanese 

[138] 


THE   SHIMONOSEKI  AFFAIR 

people  for  centuries  and  stood  in  the  way  of  commerce 
and  trade  with  the  Orient.  And  when  the  doors  were 
opened  the  powerful  opposing  daimios  were  paralyzed  with 
dismay  in  discovering  the  futility  of  arraying  their  feudal 
warriors,  armed  with  bow,  spear,  and  matchlock,  against 
the  modern  arms  of  the  Western  world  and  the  frowning 
guns  of  Perry's  fleet.  The  ink  had  scarcely  dried  on  the 
treaty  parchment  before  a  succession  of  outrages  and 
murders  occurred  in  Tokio  which  appalled  the  foreign  resi- 
dents with  fear.  Civil  war  soon  followed  the  olive  branch 
which  Perry  had  carried  across  the  great  Pacific,  and 
swords  flashed  from  red  and  white  scabbards  throughout 
the  country. 

"Many  of  the  samurai  detached  themselves  from  the 
service  of  their  legal  lords  and  became  ronin  in  order  to 
enter  conspiracies  against  the  foreigners  without  involving 
the  heads  of  their  clans.  Native  sympathizers  were  not 
spared,  and  that  incomparable  statesman  and  friend  of 
the  Liberal  party,  the  great  Premier  Li  Kamon-no-kami, 
was  assassinated  in  March,  1860.  In  'January,  1861,  the 
secretary  of  the  American  embassy  was  attacked  and 
mortally  wounded,  and  a  few  months  later  several  mem- 
bers of  the  British  legation  guard  were  killed.  A  year 
later  Colonel  Neale  of  the  British  legation  was  attacked, 
and  murders  among  attaches  of  foreign  legations  became 
so  common  that  the  shogun  found  it  necessary  to  furnish 
them  with  guards. 

"Two  great  political  parties  had  now  sprung  into  ex- 
istence, the  Liberals,  who  advocated  the  treaty  and  the 
admission  of  the  foreigners,  and  the  Conservatives,  whose 
tocsin  was  'Japan  for  the  Japanese'  and  who  were  anxious 
to  return  to  the  traditions  of  their  forefathers.  In  ad- 
dition to  these  two  strong  national  parties  there  was  a 
third,  which  was  inimical  to  the  dual  government  and  hence 
opposed  to  the  shogun. 

"Among  the  anti-shogun  men  were  the  powerful  daimios 
of  Satsuma,  Shoshu,  Hizen,  and  Tosa,  who  controlled  im- 

[139] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

mense  independent  armies  of  samurai  and  were  abundantly 
able  at  any  time  to  defy  the  combined  forces  of  the  shogun 
and  Mikado.  The  Lord  of  Shoshu,  who  was  also  violently 
anti-foreign  in  his  feelings  and  controlled  the  western  gate 
to  the  Inland  Sea,  determined  that  he  would  no  longer 
suffer  the  ships  of  the  foreign  devils  to  pass  through  the 
strait,  and  in  addition  to  a  number  of  strong  batteries 
which  he  planted  overlooking  the  town  of  Shimonoseki, 
stationed  two  armed  ships  of  war  in  the  harbor. 

"About  this  time,  on  June  25,  1863,  a  small  American 
trading  vessel,  the  Pembroke,  while  quietly  passing 
through  the  strait  to  sea  from  Yokohama,  was  fired  upon 
by  Lord  Shoshu 's  batteries,  but  fortunately  escaped  unin- 
jured. A  few  days  later  a  French  despatch  boat  met  with 
a  similar  attack,  but  was  not  so  fortunate  as  the  Pem- 
broke. This  was  followed,  on  July  11,  by  an  attack  on  the 
Dutch  frigate  Medusa  and,  finally,  on  the  twentieth,  by  an 
attack  on  the  French  gunboat,  the  Tancrede. 

"Fortunately  for  the  honor  of  the  United  States,  the 
American  sloop-of-war  Wyoming,  which  was  lying  at  Yoko- 
hama at  the  time,  hastened  to  Shimonoseki  and,  single- 
handed,  administered  a  severe  rebuke  to  the  rebellious 
lord.  Under  a  cloudless  sky  Captain  David  McDougal,  in 
command,  entered  the  harbor  and  pushed  up  to  within  a 
few  hundred  yards  of  the  daimio's  warships,  both  of 
which  he  destroyed,  besides  killing  over  a  hundred  of  the 
enemy.  On  leaving  the  harbor  he  demolished  several  of 
the  forts  on  the  hills  and,  save  for  a  few  hits  and  several 
killed,  escaped  uninjured.  Four  days  later  the  French 
gunboat  Tancrede,  accompanied  by  the  frigate  Semiramis, 
with  a  force  of  250  men,  shelled  the  fortifications,  and  after 
landing  captured  one  five-gun  battery,  besides  killing  a 
number  of  the  enemy's  men. 

"In  spite  of  these  two  severe  administrations  of  disci- 
pline, Lord  Shoshu  continued  to  fortify  the  strait  and  pre- 
vented foreign  vessels  from  passing  through  for  more  than 

[140] 


THE   SHIMONOSEKI  AFFAIR 

a  year.  As  both  the  shogun  and  Mikado  were  unable  to 
call  the  refractory  chief  to  terms,  the  allied  forces  in 
Japanese  waters  decided  to  do  so,  and  consequently  with 
a  fleet  of  seventeen  ships,  armed  with  208  guns  and  manned 
by  7,590  men,  sailed  into  the  strait  of  Shimonoseki,  Sep- 
tember 5,  1864,  and  opened  fire  on  the  shore  batteries. 

"The  fight  continued  two  days,  at  the  end  of  which 
time  the  allied  fleet  had  demolished  all  of  the  forts  and 
captured  Shoshu  and  his  remaining  forces.  The  fleet  con- 
sisted of  nine  British  men-of-war,  three  French,  four 
Dutch,  and  one  American,  the  latter  being  a  chartered 
steamer  armed  with  a  single  Parrott  gun.  As  a  conclusion 
to  the  affair  the  nations  involved  demanded  an  indemnity 
of  $3,000,000,  which  was  finally  paid  in  half  million  dol- 
lar installments.  It  is  to  the  credit  of  the  United  States 
to  add  that  our  government  in  1883,  in  response  to  a 
widely  extended  public  opinion,  refunded  their  share, 
which  amounted  to  $785,000.  The  daimio  of  Shoshu  had 
learned  this  well-needed  lesson  and,  like  the  daimio  of  Sat- 
suma  who  had  been  severely  punished  on  account  of  the 
Richardson  Affair,  from  this  time  on,  saw  the  folly  of  re- 
sisting the  armament  of  the  Western  world." 

"The  story  is  highly  entertaining,  Major,"  I  observed, 
"but  I  would  like  to  know  the  motive  which  influenced  the 
American  public  to  desire  a  restitution  of  the  indemnity." 

"In  the  first  place,"  replied  the  Major,  "the  American 
people,  who  first  and  last  believe  in  fair  play,  felt  the 
demand  to  be  rather  harsh  and  unjust  for  the  reason  that 
the  Yedo  government  had  made  ample  apology  for  the 
conduct  of  the  rebellious  daimio,  and  besides,  on  account 
of  the  unsettled  state  of  the  country  which  resulted  from 
Commodore  Perry's  demands,  was  unable  to  control  his 
actions;  and  in  the  second  place,  the  Americans  have  al- 
ways shown  themselves  to  be  the  most  generous  foe  in 
the  world.  This  was  exemplified  especially  during  the 
Spanish- American  War,  particularly  when  we  turned  over 

[141] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

to  the  enemy  a  most  princely  sum  for  the  privilege  of 
administering  a  good  sound  trouncing,  which  they  richly 
deserved. ' ' 

"That  is  true,"  added  the  Judge,  "and  I  believe  that 
the  Americans  approach  nearer  to  practising  that  divine 
injunction,  'Love  your  enemies,'  than  any  other  nation  on 
the  face  of  the  globe." 

"While  we  are  discussing  sea  battles,  Mr.  Rhodes,"  said 
the  Major,  "I  should  not  fail  to  mention  the  greatest 
naval  engagement  in  the  annals  of  the  Japanese  Empire, 
which  occurred  near  the  village  of  Dan-no-ura,  but  a  few 
miles  below  Shimonoseki  and  plainly  visible  from  here. 
An  obelisk  which  marks  the  stage  of  this  terrible  carnage 
stands  upon  one  of  the  lonely  wave-swept  rocks  near  the 
shore  and  the  simple-minded  fisher  people  in  returning 
from  the  catch  during  the  twilight  hours  often  imagine 
that  they  can  plainly  see  the  Taira  hosts  rising  from  the 
sea. 

"For  a  century  or  more  before  this  memorable  affair 
occurred,  which  was  in  1185,  two  powerful  feudal  families, 
the  Tairas  and  Minamotos,  who  as  regents  controlled  the 
dynasty  for  centuries,  occupied  all  of  the  official  offices  at 
court  and  the  governorships  of  the  provinces  and  had,  be- 
sides, furnished  the  Mikados  and  royal  princes  with  wives 
from  their  families. 

"A  few  years  before  the  appointment  of  Yoritomo  to 
the  shogunate,  which  was  in  1192,  quarrels  and  disagree- 
ments, no  doubt  prompted  by  jealousy,  arose  and  led  to 
the  war  of  the  'red  and  white  flags,'  which  colors  marked 
the  banners  of  the  Tairas  and  Minamotos.  The  death  of  the 
tyrant  Kiyomori  hastened  the  conflict  and  transmitted 
the  leadership  of  the  Taira  clan  to  his  son  Munemori. 

"  In  a  great  battle  at  Kioto,  a  short  time  after  the  death 
of  Kiyomori,  Yoshinaka,  the  leader  of  the  Minamoto  forces, 
administered  an  overwhelming  defeat  upon  the  Taira 
legions,  as  a  result  of  which  Munemori,  with  the  reigning 
Mikado  and  imperial  court,  crossed  over  the  Inland  Sea 

[142] 


THE  SHIMONOSEKI  AFFAIR 

to  the  island  of  Shikoku,  where  the  capital  was  temporarily- 
established. 

1 '  Yoshitsune,  the  half  brother  of  Yoritomo,  was  de- 
spatched to  follow  the  fugitive  court.  Having  received 
information  of  the  movements  of  the  Minamotos,  Mune- 
mori  embarked  with  his  army  and  the  Imperial  Court  in 
his  fleet  of  500  junks  and  sailed  west  over  the  Inland  Sea 
with  the  Island  of  Kyushu  as  a  distal  point,  hoping  in 
that  wilderness  of  uninhabited  valleys  and  mountains,  to 
find  a  refuge  for  his  fleeing  hosts. 

"Yoshitsune  followed  with  a  large  army,  which  was  em- 
barked in  700  junks,  and  overtook  Munemori  just  as  he 
was  entering  the  strait  of  Shimonoseki.  At  that  early 
date  fire-arms  formed  no  part  of  the  armament  of  the 
samurai,  so  the  battle  was  fought  with  spear,  sword,  bow, 
and  arrow,  and  it  is  said  that  at  its  conclusion  the  sea  for 
miles  around  was  stained  a  crimson  hue. 

"The  Tairas  were  encumbered  with  many  women  and 
children,  so  Munemori 's  hosts  fell  easy  victims  to  the 
well-trained  warriors  of  Yoshitsune.  The  dowager-em- 
press, widow  of  Kiyomori  and  grandmother  of  the  young 
Mikado,  seeing  that  the  day  was  lost  plunged  into  the  sea 
with  the  child  Mikado  in  arms  and  both  were  drowned. 
With  few  exceptions  all  who  escaped  the  sword  were 
drowned,  and  thus  perished  the  last  of  the  Tairas,  who  for 
centuries  past  had  represented  the  chivalry  of  feudal 
Japan. 

"Historians  state  that  a  remnant  of  Munemori 's  band 
escaped  to  the  shores  of  Kyushu,  which  as  you  know  are 
only  a  few  hundred  yards  away,  and  made  their  way  to 
the  mountain  fastnesses  of  Higo  Province.  Singular  as  it 
may  seem,  a  small  tribe  which  exhibits  a  peculiar  aversion 
to  strangers  has  been  found  in  the  mountains  of  that 
province,  bearing  a  striking  resemblance  to  the  once  pow- 
erful Taira  clan. 

"Japan,  as  you  will  find  out  later,  Mr.  Rhodes,"  con- 
tinued the  Major,  "is  a  land  of  romance  and  stands  un- 

[143] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

paralleled  among  the  nations  of  the  world  in  feats  of  mili- 
tary valor.  The  warlike  spirit  and  fighting  qualities  of 
the  Japanese  people  were  little  known  to  the  world  at 
large  before  that  great  contest  in  which  the  Russian  Bear 
was  so  completely  muzzled  by  the  pygmies  of  Dai-Nippon. ' ' 

We  had  passed  a  very  comfortable  night  and  a  pleasant 
day  in  the  Gate  City  of  the  West,  and  felt  somewhat  loath 
to  leave  as  the  great  mail  steamer  came  puffing  into  the 
harbor  for  an  hour's  halt  and  exchange  of  mail.  When 
we  clambered  aboard  at  2  p.m.  we  regretted  deeply  that 
we  had  to  lose  so  many  quaint  touches  of  scenery  and 
beautiful  vistas,  which  would  be  closed  from  view  during 
the  hours  of  night. 

To  see  the  Inland  Sea  properly  one  should  do  the  trip 
in  a  private  yacht,  or,  in  lieu  thereof,  a  hired  native  boat, 
which  will  answer  the  purpose  quite  as  well.  With  few 
exceptions  the  entire  path  from  Shimonoseki  to  Kobe,  a 
distance  of  250  miles,  is  strewn  with  fantastic  islands, 
convulsive  looking  rocks,  and  quaint  bits  of  landscape 
decorated  with  feudal  castle  towns. 

The  globe-trotter  who  has  sailed  along  the  classical 
shores  of  the  Mediterranean  under  the  blue  skies  of  Italy, 
penetrated  the  labyrinthine  channels  of  the  South  Sea 
archipelago  and  the  mazy  passage  among  the  Thousand 
Islands  of  the  Saint  Lawrence,  will  uncompromisingly 
place  the  palm-leaf  wreath  upon  the  fair  brow  of  the  In- 
land Sea  which  affords  the  most  picturesque  and  beauti- 
ful sea  voyage  in  the  wide,  wide  world. 

This  notable  sea,  which  is  known  as  the  Japanese  Med- 
iterranean, is  bordered  on  the  north  by  the  main  island 
of  Nippon,  on  the  south  by  Kyushu  and  Shikoku.  Its 
western  outlet,  the  strait  of  Shimonoseki,  narrows  down 
to  a  mile  in  width,  while  the  contracted  channels  of  Naruto 
and  Akashi  on  the  east,  which  stand  guard  between  the 
island  of  Shikoku  and  Awaji  on  the  south  and  the  main- 
land and  Awaji  on  the  north,  with  the  exception  of  the 
wide  channel  of   Bungo  between  Kyushu  and   Shikoku, 

[144] 


d9  WtL  /*v 

raK 

sB?      g'JMr^4t'^^B^B 

'<9 

"^       ti 

Kegon   Falls,  outlet  to  Lake  Chuzenji,   near 
Nik-ko,  Japan 


THE   SHIMONOSEKI  AFFAIR 

render  the  Inland  Sea  quite  secure  against  military 
invasion. 

Nature  has  divided  the  sea  into  five  large  basins  which 
are  separated  from  one  another  by  a  maze  of  islands,  islets, 
and  rocks.  While  these  miniature  archipelagoes  add 
greatly  to  the  beauty  of  the  journey,  they  increase  very 
materially  the  difficulties  of  the  navigator. 

Very  shortly  after  leaving  Shimonoseki  on  going  east 
the  ship  passes  out  of  the  narrow  strait  and  glides  into  the 
Suwo  Basin,  which  appears  somewhat  like  a  land-locked 
lake,  and  terminates  at  the  first  group  of  islands  fifty 
miles  away,  the  dividing  line  between  it  and  the  Iyo  Basin. 
The  beauty  and  grandeur  of  the  Inland  Sea  begins  at  this 
point,  and  with  few  interruptions,  continues  on  to  Kobe 
two  hundred  miles  away.  It  would  prove  an  endless  task 
to  undertake  a  description  of  this  enchanting  sea  which 
has  proved  a  greater  factor  in  moulding  the  artistic  genius 
of  the  people  than  the  wonders  and  beauties  of  the  famous 
Sendai. 

From  the  moment  of  leaving  the  Suwo  Basin  we  enter 
a  group  of  fantastic  islands,  indented  by  uneven  and 
jagged  shores  and  crowned  with  overhanging  hills  and 
mountain  peaks.  Far  up  their  sloping  sides,  which  are 
covered  with  the  intensest  green  verdure,  may  be  seen  the 
picturesque  hamlets  of  the  natives  and  the  zigzag  road 
descending  to  the  sea.  Along  the  shores  for  miles  stretch 
chains  of  gray-roofed  villages,  artistic  sea-walls  in  well- 
executed  masonry,  groves  of  pines  whose  crazy,  fantastic 
branches,  extending  in  every  direction,  remind  the  tourist 
of  the  frenzied  motions  of  an  excited  maniac. 

The  panorama  .changes  momentarily  as  we  glide  along, 
and  now  we  pass  a  solitary  peak,  upon  whose  summit  stand 
the  crumbling  walls  of  an  ancient  castle,  the  former  strong- 
hold of  a  once  powerful  daimio,  which  instantly  recalls 
to  memory  some  similar  scene  overlooking  the  beloved 
Ehine  of  the  Fatherland.  Ever  and  anon  an  active  vol- 
cano looms  up  in  the  distance,  whose  lurid  flames  cast 
10  [  145  ] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

golden  shadows  at  night,  for  miles  around  over  moun- 
tain, valley,  and  dale,  and  light  the  mariner's  course 
through  the  ever-changing  field  of  islet  and  rock. 

Along  the  hillsides  are  temples  soaring  high  above  the 
gray  roofs  of  the  villages  below,  or  peeping  out  from 
densely  wooded  slopes  upon  the  mountain,  while  beyond, 
sometimes  extending  to  the  sky-line  above,  are  golden 
fields  of  waving  rice.  At  the  foot  of  many  of  the  gently 
sloping  hills  are  monstrous  torii,  forming  entrances  to 
avenues  of  stone  or  bronze  lanterns,  leading  to  nearby 
temples,  or  marking  the  tomb  of  some  feudal  lord  of 
old. 

Across  the  bosom  of  the  waters,  gliding  in  every  direc- 
tion, thousands  of  sampans,  junks,  and  trading  sloops  are 
seen  engaged  in  the  fishing  industry  of  the  neighboring 
islands,  or  the  local  commerce  of  the  Inland  Sea. 

From  start  to  finish  the  scene  is  filled  with  life  and 
sparkles  with  brilliant  and  harmonious  color  of  every 
shade.  In  the  Spring-time  the  delicate  pink  and  white  of 
the  cherry  and  hawthorn  blossoms  along  the  mountain- 
sides make  a  glorious  contrast  with  the  verdure  of  the 
trees  and  turf,  and  form  a  superb  setting  to  the  pale 
green  sea,  streaked  here  and  there  in  shallow  places.  Let 
him  who  loves  the  gorgeous  scarlet  and  golden  yellow  of 
the  momiji  or  maple  and  the  rich  shades  of  sepia  and 
brown  hasten  to  artistic  Nippon  during  the  early  days  of 
Fall. 

And  thus  we  sail  on  and  on,  through  the  ever-changing 
groups  of  islet,  rock,  and  crag,  the  stage  rearranging  itself 
as  we  pass  by,  the  panorama  varying  with  continued  in- 
terest from  sunrise  to  sunset.  It  matters  not  whether  it 
be  in  the  glare  of  the  mid-day  sun,  or  under  the  gentle  rays 
of  a  harvest  moon,  during  the  blush  of  pristine  Spring, 
or  the  tinge  of  the  early  Fall,  or  even  when  hoary  Winter 
shakes  his  icicled  head,  the  Inland  Sea  stands  as  a  peer  far 
above  all  other  earthly  competitors  in  the  realm  of  natural 
beauty  and  picturesque  scenery. 

[146] 


THE   SHIMONOSEKI  AFFAIR 

And  what  has  Japan  done  to  protect  her  interests,  the 
thriving  cities,  important  seaport  towns,  and  rich  terrain 
within  the  boundaries  of  the  famous  land-locked  Inland 
Sea?  Alive  to  the  importance  of  this  national  problem, 
she  has  spent  millions  of  the  country's  unearned  dividends 
to  keep  out  an  invading  fleet  in  case  of  war. 

All  of  the  straits,  except  the  Bungo  Channel,  have  been 
rendered  impassable  by  the  most  powerful  forts.  A  last 
barrier  has  been  erected  between  the  north  coast  of  Shi- 
koku  and  the  south  coast  of  Nippon,  as  the  main  island  is 
commonly  called.  They  have  organized  defensively  the 
passages  of  Geiyo  and  Kaiyo  which  are  commanded  by  the 
heights  of  Kure,  passages  which  are  notoriously  difficult 
to  enter  on  account  of  their  winding  courses. 

The  principal  fortified  points  of  the  Inland  Sea  are  the 
ShimonoseM-Kokura-Moji  group  of  forts  in  the  strait,  at 
Kure,  which  is  the  largest  and  most  important  military 
post  in  Japan,  at  Hiroshima  and  Ujina,  a  point  of  embarka- 
tion for  troops,  and  finally  at  Kobe  and  Osaka. 


[147] 


CHAPTER  XVI 

ORIGIN  OF  THE  JAPANESE  RACE 

Arrival  at  Kobe  —  Brief  Visit  to  the  City  —  Origin  op 
the  Japanese  People  —  The  Ko jiki  and  Nihon ji,  the 
Japanese  Bibles  —  Mythological  Origin  of  the  Peo- 
ple  IZANAGI   AND   IZAMAGI,    THE   JAPANESE   ADAM   AND 

Eve  —  The  Sun-Goddess  Amaterasu  —  Her  Playful 
Little  Brother  —  Amaterasu  Retires  to  Her  Cave  of 
Darkness  —  The  Ainos  —  Malays  from  Malaysia  — 
—  The  Mongols  from  China  and  Korea. 

WE  left  Shimonoseki  at  2  p.m.  on  the  date  of  embar- 
kation, and  promptly  at  noon  the  following  day  en- 
tered the  harbor  of  Kobe,  which  was  founded  in  1868  and 
is  the  most  important  commercial  port  in  Japan.  It  is  a 
favorite  city  in  the  empire  on  account  of  the  dryness  and 
purity  of  its  climate  and  proximity  to  Osaka,  Nara,  and 
Kioto,  the  heart  of  old  Japan. 

The  steamer  remained  until  6  p.m.,  when  we  continued 
our  journey  to  Yokohama  where  we  were  billed  to  arrive 
the  following  afternoon.  The  few  hours  we  had  passed  in 
Kobe  enabled  us  to  visit  the  shopping  district  only,  leav- 
ing a  thorough  inspection  of  the  city  for  our  return  from 
the  North,  when  in  all  probability,  we  would  remain  sev- 
eral days. 

My  brief  visit  of  three  days  to  Japan  had  materially 
increased  an  already  existing  admiration  for  these  re- 
markable people,  who,  mushroom-like,  had  sprung  up  in  a 
generation  from  comparative  obscurity  to  be  one  of  the 
most  advanced  and  progressive  nations  in  the  world.     Who 

[148] 


ORIGIN   OF  THE  JAPANESE  RACE 

were  they  and  from  whence  did  they  spring,  were  ques- 
tions which  had  been  revolving  in  my  brain  ever  since  my 
arrival  at  Nagasaki,  so  I  had  fully  made  up  my  mind  to 
have  the  problem  solved  if  possible. 

The  opportune  moment  arrived  after  reembarkation  and 
while  enjoying  a  choice  Havana  with  my  friends  the  Judge 
and  Major  on  completion  of  a  ship's  dinner  which  would 
have  reflected  credit  on  Delmonico  or  the  most  favored 
cafe  on  the  Boulevard  des  Capucines. 

"From  what  I  have  already  seen  and  heard,"  I  re- 
marked, addressing  the  Judge,  "I  am  decidedly  mystified 
over  the  origin  of  this  remarkable  race." 

"There  has  been  very  considerable  discussion  among 
ethnologists  in  regard  to  this  question, ' '  replied  the  Judge, 
' '  and  as  far  as  I  can  learn  it  has  never  been  definitely  set- 
tled. I  have  given  the  matter  considerable  study  and  will 
be  glad  to  impart  what  information  I  have  acquired." 
After  lighting  a  fresh  cigar  he  continued  with  the  follow- 
ing story : 

1 '  The  origin  of  the  Japanese  people  is  veiled  in  the  deep- 
est mystery  of  the  past  and  beyond  the  legend  and  tradi- 
tion which  have  floated  down  the  aisles  of  unrecorded 
time,  there  is  nothing  upon  which  a  historical  reckoning 
can  be  actually  based. 

"It  is  true  that  the  Japanese  have  settled  the  question 
for  themselves  by  declaring  they  have  descended  from  a 
race  of  gods  and  to  this  day  believe  that  the  Mikado  rep- 
resents an  unbroken  line  of  successors  from  Jimmu  Tenno, 
who  dates  from  the  year  660  B.C.  and  is  presumed  to  be  of 
divine  origin. 

"In  support  of  this  theory  they  present  the  Kojiki  and 
Nihongi,  two  sacred  books  written  respectively  in  711  and 
720  a.d.,  which  contain  the  history  of  the  creation  of  the 
islands  forming  the  empire,  the  origin  of  their  inhabitants, 
which  of  course  is  entirely  mythological,  and  a  chrono- 
logical table  of  its  rulers  down  to  the  eighth  century. 

"The  art  of  reading  and  writing  was  first  introduced  into 
[149] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

Japan  in  284  a.d.  from  Korea  through  the  Buddhist  priests, 
but  was  not  generally  known  to  the  people  before  the  fifth 
century.  For  this  very  important  reason  it  becomes  evi- 
dent that  the  knowledge  of  preceding  events  among  the 
Japanese,  as  among  the  Grecians,  was  passed  down  from 
mouth  to  mouth. 

"About  the  year  673  a.d.  the  Emperor  Temmu,  who  de- 
termined to  preserve  the  true  traditions  of  his  forefathers 
and  country,  ordered  a  careful  examination  of  all  records 
then  in  existence.  It  is  said  that  these  were  eventually 
committed  to  memory  by  an  officer  of  the  court  possessed 
of  a  prodigious  memory,  and  eventually  resulted  in  the 
compilation  known  as  the  Kojiki.  Before  this  book  was 
finished  the  Emperor  died,  but  it  was  carried  on  to  com- 
pletion under  the  direction  of  the  Empress  Gemmyo  in  the 
year  711  a.d. 

"Nine  years  later,  during  the  reign  of  the  Empress 
Gensho,  the  Nihongi  was  completed.  The  Kojiki  deals 
largely  with  the  early  history  of  Japan,  its  mythology,  and 
the  genealogies  of  its  emperors,  while  the  Nihongi  treats 
largely  of  its  mythology.  The  study  of  these  books,  made 
possible  by  the  translation  of  Professor  B.  H.  Chamberlain 
of  the  University  of  Tokio,  is  interesting  beyond  meas- 
ure, but  is  of  no  historical  value. 

"In  order  to  support  Shintoism,  which  was  the  natural 
religion  of  the  country  and  consisted  mainly  of  ancestor 
worship  of  the  Mikados,  it  became  necessary  to  support  the 
theory  of  their  divinity  and  descent  from  Amaterasu,  the 
sun-goddess  of  the  celestial  plane.  The  mythological  idea 
of  the  genesis  of  the  people  of  Dai-Nippon  satisfies  the  van- 
ity of  the  Japanese  people  and  possibly  after  all  may  be  as 
rational  as  the  creation  of  the  world,  as  portrayed  in  the 
first  four  chapters  of  the  Hebrew  Bible,  with  which  it  in  a 
great  measure  corresponds.  It  is  said  that  the  statements 
contained  in  the  Kojiki  and  Nihongi  are  complicated  and 
contradictory  and  the  question  remains  whether  the  most 
profound  Japanese  scholar  can  unravel  the  mystery. 

[150] 


ORIGIN  OF  THE  JAPANESE  RACE 

"These  two  books,  which  are  regarded  as  the  Japanese 
Bible,  state  that  in  the  beginning  there  was  infinite  space 
and  neither  heaven,  nor  earth,  nor  sun,  nor  moon  nor  any- 
thing else  existed  but  one  god,  who  was  the  lord  of  the 
central  plane  of  heaven,  and  no  one  else. 

"Next  on  the  scene  appear  two  other  gods,  known  as 
the  Lofty  and  Divine  Producers,  who  were  followed  in 
turn  by  other  celestial  gods,  the  last  pair  being  Izanagi  and 
Izamagi  who  are  recorded  as  the  Japanese  Adam  and  Eve. 
The  lives  of  these  gods  extended  over  unlimited  seons  of 
time;  some  of  them  are  said  to  have  lived  over  800,000 
years.  These  men,  who  were  gods,  correspond  to  the  pre- 
adamite  race  of  god-men  alluded  to  in  the  first  four  chap- 
ters of  Genesis,  who  were  created  in  the  image  of  God  but 
who,  it  is  thought,  reproduced  their  progeny  in  a  manner 
far  beyond  human  understanding,  unless  it  were  possible 
that  they  were  endowed  with  dual  sexuality.  Thus  far  the 
mythological  creation  of  the  world  and  human  race  as  enun- 
ciated in  the  Kojiki,  corresponds  to  the  Mosaic  creation  of 
the  Hebrews. 

"Until  the  appearance  of  Izanagi  and  Izamagi,  the  Jap- 
anese Adam  and  Eve,  according  to  their  mythology,  man 
was  also  created  in  a  fabulous  manner  and  without  the  co- 
operation of  woman.  Izanagi  unlike  Adam,  who  fell  into 
a  profound  sleep  and  produced  Eve,  dived  into  the  ocean 
and  while  arising  from  the  water  plucked  his  daughter 
Amaterasu,  the  sun-goddess,  from  his  left  eye,  Susa-no-o,  a 
son,  the  god  of  the  moon,  from  his  right  eye,  and  a  sec- 
ond son,  a  tempestuous  god,  from  his  nose. 

"Although  Izamagi,  his  wife,  had  died  and  gone  to 
Hades  according  to  the  Kojiki,  Izanagi  continued  giving 
birth  to  children  and  it  is  recorded  that  he  was  blessed  with 
more  than  a  hundred.  Up  to  and  including  the  creation 
of  Izanagi  they  were  divine,  but  from  that  period  on  they 
became  semi-divine  and  changed  their  base  from  the  celes- 
tial plane  above  to  the  islands  below  by  means  of  a  floating 
bridge,  upon  which  they  descended. 

[151] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

"Amaterasu,  the  sun-goddess,  who  ruled  in  the  sun,  was 
finally  given  part  control  of  the  earth  in  connection  with 
two  other  gods,  the  Lofty  and  Divine  Producers.  During 
one  of  her  visits  to  earth,  she  became  the  subject  of  an 
amusing  story,  which  displays  one  of  the  most  constant 
qualities  of  the  female  character. 

"Her  brother  Susa-no-o,  who  was  mischievous,  as  little 
brothers  usually  are,  played  such  an  outrageous  joke  on 
his  sister  that  she  retired  from  the  world  into  a  cave  and 
left  it  in  utter  darkness.  She  had  been  quietly  spinning 
in  her  cabin,  probably  working  for  some  missionary  soci- 
ety, when  Susa-no-o  stealthily  climbed  on  the  roof  of  her 
residence  and  dropped  down  over  her  head  the  freshly 
skinned  hide  of  a  piebald  horse.  This  was  too  much  for  the 
fair  goddess,  so  she  quietly  left  her  playthings  and  im- 
mured herself  in  the  cave. 

"The  intense  darkness  of  the  world  became  the  sole 
topic  of  conversation  among  the  thousands  of  gods,  who  im- 
mediately assembled  to  discuss  the  matter  and  to  devise 
means  to  restore  the  presence  of  the  Amaterasu.  They 
finally  decided  to  hold  a  musical  orgie,  and  thus  through 
song  and  dance  to  woo  the  dazzling  goddess  from  her  cave 
of  darkness.  The  entertainment,  which  was  held  in  front 
of  the  cave,  was  celebrated  with  wild  dance  and  joyous 
song  by  Izume,  dressed  in  fancy  costume,  while  the  gods 
joined  in  with  loud  laughter  and  hand-clapping.  This 
proved  too  much  for  the  curiosity  of  Amaterasu,  who 
quietly  stepped  to  the  door,  and  before  she  was  aware, 
peeped  into  a  large  mirror  which  intentionally  was  held 
up  before  her  by  one  of  the  gods  and  in  which  she  saw 
her  beautiful  features  reflected.  At  the  same  moment  an- 
other god  possessing  immense  strength,  stepped  behind 
her  with  a  rice-straw  rope,  which  he  threw  across  the  door, 
thus  preventing  her  return.  To  this  day  a  straw  rope  sur- 
rounds all  Shinto  temples,  which  is  supposed  to  ward  off 
evil  spirits. 

"From  the  kingdom  of  the  sun  Amaterasu  finally  sent 
[152] 


ORIGIN  OF  THE  JAPANESE  RACE 

her  grandson  Ninigi,  whom  she  appointed  sovereign  of  Ja- 
pan and  his  descendants  forever.  Before  leaving  his 
grandmother's  kingdom  he  was  presented  with  the  sacred 
mirror,  sacred  sword,  and  the  sacred  stone.  The  sacred 
mirror  has  ever  remained  under  the  protection  of  a  high- 
priestess  at  the  sacred  shrine  of  Ise,  the  sacred  sword  in  the 
temple  of  Atsula  near  Nagoya,  while  the  sacred  stone  has 
ever  been  kept  by  the  Mikado. 

' '  Ninigi-no-Mikoto,  with  the  sacred  emblems  and  accom- 
panied by  a  host  of  gods,  is  said  to  have  descended  from 
heaven  upon  Mount  Kirishima  in  the  Province  of  Satsuma, 
from  which  point  the  conquest  of  Japan  was  made  by  his 
grandson,  Jimmu  Tenno,  in  660  B.C.,  the  first  historic  em- 
peror of  Nippon,  all  previous  ones  being  Shinto  gods. 
Starting  from  the  Island  of  Kyushu,  Jimmu  rowed  up 
through  the  Inland  Sea  with  his  band  of  warriors,  over- 
coming and  subjugating  the  savages  he  encountered. 

"After  a  miraculous  career  he  died,  a  hundred  and  thir- 
ty-seven years  old,  and  was  buried  at  Kashiwabara  in  the 
Province  of  Yamato,  where  he  had  finally  established  his 
capital.  The  date  accepted  as  that  of  his  accession  to  the 
throne,  February  11,  has  been  made  a  public  holiday  in 
Japan  and  was  chosen  for  the  promulgation  of  the  new 
constitution  in  1888.  The  story  of  Jimmu  is  no  doubt 
mythological,  but  probably  echoes  through  the  lapse  of  cen- 
turies the  tradition  of  an  invasion  by  some  mighty  war- 
rior, possibly  from  Korea  or  China. 

"While  no  one  knows  with  certainty  the  origin  of  the 
Japanese,  there  is  every  reason  to  believe  the  race  to  be  a 
composite,  a  Mongolian  and  Malay  blend,  built  up  from 
Aino  ancestry.  The  origin  of  this  curious  offshoot  of  hu- 
manity, which  is  almost  white  in  color,  belongs  to  the  great 
Aryan  race,  but  is  clothed  in  the  purest  conjecture.  They 
have  lived  probably  three  thousand  years  in  Japan  since 
their  exodus  from  their  native  land  and  are  now  regarded 
as  Japan 's  primitive  settlers,  although  the  Ainos  themselves 
give  an  account  of  a  race  of  dwarfs  who  occupied  the  land 

[153] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

on  their  arrival  and  lived  in  holes  in  the  ground.  The 
Ainos,  who  no  doubt  at  one  time  were  very  numerous  and 
occupied  nearly  all  of  the  mainland,  have  become  reduced 
to  a  few  thousands,  through  wars  and  other  prejudicial 
conditions,  and  are  now  relegated  to  the  lower  half  of  Sag- 
halin  and  the  Island  of  Yezo.  The  original  home  of  the 
Aino,  like  that  of  the  present  evoluted  race,  can  only  be 
determined  by  conjecture  or  linguistic  and  ethnological 
study. 

"The  Japanese  language  is  isolated  from  all  others  and 
stands  alone  in  the  linguistic  family,  unless  allied  with 
that  of  the  Loochooans.  Philologists  have  traced  resem- 
blances between  the  ^Japanese  and  the  roots  of  a  language 
spoken  in  the  ancient  Turano-African  Empire  which 
wrought  many  changes  in  the  human  race  on  its  dissolu- 
tion. Others  have  classed  it  with  a  language  spoken  by 
the  Tunguses,  a  roving  band  occupying  the  eastern  portion 
of  Siberia  in  the  valley  of  Amoor. 

"Dr.  Kaemper,  who  spent  two  years  in  Japan  during 
the  early  part  of  the  seventeenth  century,  believes  the  Ainos 
came  from  Babylon  at  the  time  of  the  confusion  and  found 
their  way  through  Persia,  along  the  shore  of  the  Caspian 
and  by  the  banks  of  the  Oxus  to  its  source,  crossed  China, 
descended  the  Amoor,  and  followed  south  through  Korea, 
from  which  they  passed  over  to  Japan.  Mr.  Griffis,  who 
spent  many  years  in  Japan,  believes  the  Japanese,  Man- 
chus,  and  Koreans  congeners.  There  is  no  doubt  but  that 
they  are  very  much  mixed  now,  whatever  may  have  been 
their  original  race.  While  the  relationship  of  languages 
has  a  great  bearing  on  races,  it  must  not  be  forgotten  that 
a  primitive  dialect  can  become  completely  effaced  in  the 
course  of  time  by  a  different  race  of  greater  potentiality. 

"The  Ainos,  who  during  their  early  history  occupied 
nearly  all  of  the  mainland  as  far  south  as  the  Island  of 
Kyushu,  were  followed  by  waifs  and  strays  who  drifted 
from  the  Malay  Islands  of  the  South  Seas,  with  the  warm 

[154] 


ORIGIN   OF  THE  JAPANESE  RACE 

waters  of  the  Black  Current  which  flows  north  along  the 
coast  of  Luzon,  Formosa,  and  the  Loochoos,  and  guided  by 
the  volcanic  lights  on  each  side  of  their  course,  reached 
the  southern  extremity  of  Japan,  and  ultimately  found 
their  way  as  far  north  as  Yedo.  There  is  every  reason  to 
conclude  that  the  wave  of  emigration  from  Malaysia,  which 
reached  Japan,  was  contemporary  with  the  early  settle- 
ment of  the  Philippines  and  Formosa,  or  followed  very 
shortly  in  its  wake.  The  average  physique  of  the  Japanese 
corresponds  more  closely  to  that  of  the  Malay  to-day  than 
to  that  of  the  Chinese  or  Korean. 

"Besides,  their  food,  customs  of  living,  and  architecture 
mark  with  great  accuracy  the  resemblance  of  the  Japa- 
nese, Filipinos,  and  natives  of  the  Celebes.  They  live  prin- 
cipally on  rice  and  fish,  dress  in  cotton  texture,  wear  bam- 
boo or  grass  hats,  and  occupy  houses  built  on  posts,  light 
and  frail  in  structure,  and  with  ideas  prevalent  in  tropical 
climates.  Any  one  acquainted  with  the  Malayan  features 
would  not  fail  to  note  many  points  of  resemblance  between 
the  Japanese  and  the  races  of  the  South  Seas.  Certainly 
in  few  respects  do  the  architectural  ideas  of  the  Chinese  or 
Koreans  agree  with  those  of  the  Japanese,  or  their  ideas  of 
domestic  economy. 

"  It  is  true  that  from  the  third  and  fourth  centuries  vast 
hordes  of  Chinese  and  Koreans  began  to  invade  Japan 
from  the  southern  coast  of  China  and  the  peninsula  of 
Korea,  bringing  with  them  the  Chinese  and  Korean  civili- 
zations and  the  religion  of  Buddha.  They  brought  rich 
treasures  in  the  way  of  learning,  the  arts  and  sciences, 
painting,  the  manufacture  of  porcelain,  and  a  different 
system  of  government.  So  many  and  great  were  the 
changes  made  in  the  early  days  of  Japanese  history,  that 
a  few  centuries  later  it  was  generally  believed  that  the 
Japanese  were  of  Mongolian  origin. 

"Owing  to  the  great  foreign  influences  exerted  over  the 
Japanese  civilization  about  this  period,  the  primitive  names 

[155] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

of  rivers,  mountains,  streams  and  other  natural  features 
of  the  country  were  plastered  over  with  Chinese  ideograms 
and  thus  in  a  manner  the  early  traces  of  the  Ainos  were  ob- 
literated. Chinese  influence  also  created  many  features 
of  resemblance  between  the  Japanese  language  and  their 
own,  although  the  Aino  spoke  a  dialect  entirely  of  Aryan 
origin.  There  is  little  doubt,  therefore,  that  the  original 
blend  of  Malay  and  Aino  was  greatly  influenced  by  the 
great  wave  of  emigration  proceeding  from  China  and 
Korea  before  and  after  the  Christian  Era  and  that  the 
Japanese  race  has  become  composite  through  the  infusion 
of  Malay-Mongolian  blood.  Receptive  to  a  degree,  the 
Japanese  have  absorbed  also  the  most  advanced  ideas  of  the 
Western  world  and  thus,  within  a  half  century  from  com- 
parative obscurity  and  national  ignorance,  have  become  the 
advance-guard  of  civilization  in  the  Orient." 

"I  have  been  informed,"  said  the  Major,  "that  the 
mixture  of  Aino  blood  with  the  Malay  and  Mongolian  is 
not  very  enduring  and  that  the  offspring  do  not  survive 
long." 

"Yes,"  replied  the  Judge,  "that  has  been  stated  as  a 
fact  by  several  foreign  observers  who  have  studied  the 
Japanese  racial  question.  They  declare  that  miscegenation 
with  the  darker  races  creates  a  progeny  which  rarely  sur- 
vives after  the  fourth  generation.  Whether  they  are  cor- 
rect or  not  I  am  unable  to  say,  but  the  fact  remains  that 
the  Japanese  are  composite,  a  blend  of  Malay-Mongolian 
with  the  primitive  people  of  the  islands  whoever  they  may 
have  been." 

"The  case  of  the  present  race  of  Dai-Nippon,"  I  re- 
marked, "like  that  of  the  Insular  Empire  of  Great  Brit- 
ain, has  greatly  changed  since  the  beginning  of  the  Chris- 
tian Era." 

"An  excellent  comparison,  Mr.  Rhodes,"  replied  the 
Major,  "for  there  is  no  doubt  but  that  the  invasion  of  the 
Romans,  Norsemen,  Saxons,  and  Normans  has  about  as 

[156] 


ORIGIN  OF  THE  JAPANESE  RACE 

completely  obliterated  the  cave-dwellers  of  Great  Britain 
as  the  Malays  and  Mongolians  have  the  pit-dwellers  of 
Nippon." 

"Well,  gentlemen,"  continued  the  Judge,  "it  is  well 
past  six  bells,  and  as  there  are  other  days,  I  will  say  buenas 
noches  y  duerme  bien." 


[157] 


CHAPTER  XVII 

A  BIRD'S  EYE  VIEW  OF  YOKOHAMA 

Arrival  in  Yokohama  —  The  Principal  Hotels  —  The 
Celebrated  Bluffs  of  Yokohama  —  The  Japanese 
Merchants  and  Chinese  Tailors  —  Hunky-dory,  the 
Sailors'  Resort  —  Yokohama  a  Fishing  Village  in 
1853  —  Mr.  Richardson  and  the  Bombardment  of  Ka- 
goshima  —  Result  of  the  Engagement  —  Indemnity  of 
$500,000  —  Escape  of  Mr.  Richardson's  Murderer. 

TT  was  half  past  three  the  afternoon  of  the  following 
•*■  day  when  we  dropped  anchor  in  the  Bay  of  Tokio,  for- 
merly known  as  Yedo,  and  proceeded  at  once  to  the  Grand 
Hotel,  which  is  located  on  the  Bund  and  commands  a  fine 
view  of  the  harbor.  The  first  glimpse  of  Yokohama  is  dis- 
appointing to  the  traveller,  who  makes  his  initial  landing 
in  Japan,  in  finding  a  large  metropolitan  city  which  from 
its  architectural  appearance  might  just  as  well  be  located 
in  England  or  America. 

He  is  greeted  by  wide  and  well-paved  streets,  tall  and 
handsome  commercial  buildings,  large  and  commodious  ho- 
tels, and  sidewalks  fairly  crowded  with  a  European  clien- 
tele. The  reason  for  this  apparently  anomalous  condition 
is  easily  understood,  when  we  remember  that  Yokohama 
was  almost  entirely  constructed  by  Europeans  and  Ameri- 
cans. It  is  true,  nevertheless,  that  a  large  native  town  has 
sprung  up  outside  the  foreign  settlement,  though  some  dis- 
tance back  from  the  Bund. 

Although  Yokohama  rates  third  in  population  its  name 
stands  first  in  the  eye  of  the  American  people,  and  it  is  far 
more  widely  known  over  the  world  than  any  other  Japa- 

£158] 


A  BIRD'S  EYE  VIEW  OF  YOKOHAMA 

nese  city.  This  notoriety  is  partly  due  to  the  fact  that  it  is 
not  only  the  first  port  in  the  empire  reached  by  the  traveller 
after  crossing  the  Pacific  Ocean,  but  was  the  first  treaty 
port  in  Japan  settled  by  foreigners. 

Owing  to  its  recent  foundation,  1858,  this  famous  sea- 
port town  possesses  few  sights  properly  so  called,  affording 
interest  to  the  globe-trotter,  although  located  but  a  few 
miles  from  Kamakura,  the  ancient  capital,  and  Tokio,  the 
seat  of  the  present  government.  On  account  of  its  being 
the  gate  city  of  the  East,  many  handsome  and  commodious 
hotels  have  been  erected  in  Yokohama  which  make  it  an 
agreeable  stopping-place  for  the  tourist  who  desires  to  visit 
Tokio  and  the  many  other  interesting  points  reached 
within  an  hour  by  rail  or  ricksha. 

Among  the  most  famous  of  these  hostelries  may  be  men- 
tioned the  Grand,  the  Oriental  Palace,  and  the  Club,  all  of 
which  are  located  on  the  Bund  and  afford  excellent  accom- 
modations in  the  way  of  rooms,  food,  and  baths.  Besides 
the  three  prominent  hotels  first  mentioned,  there  are  a  num- 
ber of  very  good,  less  expensive  ones,  among  which  may  be 
mentioned  the  Pleasanton,  Phoenix,  and  Bluff. 

The  Grand  has  had  a  famous  reputation  for  many  years 
and  is  still  very  popular  with  the  travelling  public  who 
are  not  compelled  to  keep  tab  on  their  pocketbook.  It  is 
very  pleasantly  located  on  the  Bund  from  which  one  can 
secure  a  fine  view  of  the  harbor.  The  busy  throng  con- 
stantly passing  along  the  Bund,  the  great  ships  lying  at  an- 
chor in  the  offing  and  listlessly  swinging  with  the  tide, 
together  with  the  hundreds  of  busy  sampans  gliding  back 
and  forth,  lend  a  lively  interest  to  the  ever-changing 
panorama. 

Away  up  beyond  the  central  part  of  the  town  tower  the 
Bluffs,  upon  which  are  located  the  residences  of  the  for- 
eign population.  These  beautiful  heights  command  a  su- 
perb view  of  the  bay  with  its  irregular  shores  and  pic- 
turesque villages  and  the  sacred  mountain  of  Fujiyama 
forty  miles  away.     To  reach  the  Bluffs  one  may  follow  the 

[159] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

well-graded  winding  road  which  finally  becomes  its  prin- 
cipal avenue,  or  the  famous  one  hundred  stone  steps,  which 
lead  to  its  summit.  Residence  on  the  Bluffs  is  delight- 
fully cool  during  the  hottest  day  in  summer  and  there  is 
no  necessity  of  leaving  for  the  mountain  resorts.  The  city 
is  especially  noted  for  its  handsome  homes,  villas,  and  gar- 
dens, fine  curio-shops  and  tailor  establishments. 

While  the  subtle  Japanese  curio-merchant  understands 
so  well  the  art  of  quadrupling  and  quintupling  the  price 
of  his  wares  for  the  newly  arrived  tenderfoot  in  quest  of 
bronze,  lacquer,  carved  ivory,  or  embroidery,  he  will  find 
honest,  old,  pigtailed  John,  who  has  monopolized  the  tailor 
business,  producing  suits  of  clothes  almost  as  faultless  as 
the  best  tailors  on  Fifth  Avenue  and  for  one-fourth  of  the 
cost. 

Think  of  a  perfectly  fitting  evening-dress  suit  of  the  best 
English  worsted  lined  with  exquisite  satin  for  twenty-five 
dollars,  a  natty  travelling  suit  of  cheviot,  tweed,  or  home- 
spun for  twelve  dollars,  and  an  overcoat  of  the  finest  beaver 
for  twenty !  And  yet  with  the  greatest  care  in  workman- 
ship and  material  this  is  all  they  ask.  The  only  trouble  is 
that  one  wants  to  buy  a  dozen  suits  and  usually  compro- 
mises by  taking  half  as  many. 

One  really  should  take  a  trip  to  the  seaport  towns  of  the 
Orient  and  Far  East  to  study  the  business  methods  and 
celerity  of  the  Chinaman,  who  is  known  as  the  Jew  of  the 
East.  It  matters  not  whether  your  ship  stops  for  only 
three  hours  at  Singapore,  Hong  Kong,  Shanghai,  or  Yoko- 
hama, he  will  take  your  measure  while  you  wait  and  hand 
over  to  you  a  fairly  well-made  suit  in  the  marvellous  space 
of  three  hours,  yes,  and  if  you  so  order,  a  dozen  suits  within 
the  same  time.  I  believe  he  cuts  them  out  with  a  buzz-saw 
and  puts  them  together  by  means  of  a  harnessed  typhoon. 
Don't  worry,  my  friend,  about  Manchuria  and  the  Chink. 
Only  wait  a  few  years  until  they  thoroughly  awaken  from 
their  siesta  of  twenty  centuries  and  watch  what  happens. 

While  on  the  subject  of  tailors  I  should  not  fail  to  men- 
[160] 


A  BIRD'S  EYE  VIEW  OF  YOKOHAMA 

tion  the  wonderful  creations  the  Yokohama  tailors  are  able 
to  produce  for  the  ladies  at  the  same  rate  of  cost.  Hand- 
some silk-lined,  tailor-made  suits  for  twenty  and  twenty- 
five  dollars  and  most  elegant  embroidered  cloaks  of  the 
heaviest  pongee  for  the  same  price!  My  better  judgment 
warns  me,  however,  that  I  should  say  nothing  more  of  these 
bargains,  for  I  have  friends  in  the  Philippines  who  have 
aspiring  wives. 

Among  the  curiously  named  streets  in  the  native  town 
is  one  labelled  Honcho-Dori,  which  was  corrupted  into 
"Hunky-dory"  by  our  sailors  with  whom  the  street  was  a 
favorite  resort,  hence  the  origin  of  this  colloquialism  com- 
monly used  by  many  American  people  to-day. 

"Yokohama,"  said  the  Major,  "was  but  an  insignificant 
fishing  village  when  Commodore  Perry  anchored  off  the 
coast  of  Yedo  Bay  that  eventful  day  in  July,  1853,  and  it 
contained  a  population  of  but  a  few  hundred  poor  fisher 
people.  Had  the  little  town  of  Kanagawa,  which  lies  a 
few  miles  further  up  the  bay  and  is  located  on  the  stately 
Tokaido,  the  royal  highway  from  Kioto  to  Yedo,  been  se- 
lected as  the  treaty  port,  Yokohama  to-day  would  have  sim- 
ply been  a  suburb,  but  the  shogun  and  his  court  decided 
wisely  and  well  to  locate  the  Foreign  Concession  where  it 
is  at  present,  instead  of  on  the  Tokaido  where  the  proces- 
sions of  the  powerful  daimios  with  their  armed  retainers 
were  constantly  passing  and  daily  collision  with  the  hated 
foreigner  imminent.  It  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  for 
two  centuries  and  a  half  a  spirit  of  bitter  animosity  had 
prevailed  in  the  hearts  of  the  Japanese  people  against  the 
barbarous  "Westerners  on  account  of  the  generations  of 
cruel  torture  and  misery  which  had  followed  the  visitation 
of  Francis  Xavier  and  the  Jesuit  fathers  who  had  planted 
the  standard  of  Catholicism  in  the  country  in  the  seven- 
teenth century. 

"The  Buddhist  priests  and  government  officials  had 
spread  broadcast  throughout  the  land  the  most  prejudicial 
and  malignant  statements  regarding  the  barbarians  of  the 
11  [  161  ] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

West,  until  the  very  word  of  'Khristian'  would  'still  the 
cry  and  bate  the  breath  of  the  most  peevish  and  fitful 
child.'  It  is  little  wonder  then  that  on  the  approach  of 
Perry's  fleet  the  conflagration  of  national  hatred  broke  out 
afresh  and  surged  throughout  the  empire  like  the  leaping 
flames  of  a  prairie  fire  fanned  by  the  strong  winds  from 
the  plains. 

"Mention  has  already  been  made  of  many  of  the  out- 
rages perpetrated  against  the  foreigners  shortly  after  the 
ratification  of  the  treaty,  but  I  believe  none  illustrate  more 
graphically  the  spirit  of  animosity  than  the  unprovoked 
and  vicious  attack  made  against  an  Englishman  named 
Richardson  and  his  party,  by  the  samurai  of  Lord  Saburo 
during  the  Summer  of  1862. 

"Lord  Saburo,  the  uncle  and  guardian  of  the  young 
daimio  of  Satsuma,  had  visited  Yedo  for  the  purpose  of 
advising  with  the  shogun  regarding  the  unsettled  and 
threatening  condition  of  the  country  and,  at  the  same  time, 
to  proffer  the  assistance  of  his  army  which  was  considered 
one  of  the  most  powerful  in  the  empire.  On  his  return 
and  while  travelling  along  the  Tokaido  with  his  train  of  no- 
bles, samurai,  retainers,  luggage,  and  pack-horses,  he  met, 
near  the  village  of  Kawasaki,  Mr.  C.  L.  Richardson  and 
party,  intending  to  visit  the  temple  there. 

' '  It  was  the  etiquette  of  the  country  for  every  one  to  dis- 
mount and  stand  aside  during  the  passage  of  a  daimio 's 
train  on  the  Tokaido  and  to  bow  to  the  daimio 's  norimono, 
or  sedan  chair,  as  he  passed.  Mr.  Richardson  was  evi- 
dently unaware  of  this  custom  and  as  he  was  about  to  pass 
the  daimio 's  norimono  without  dismounting,  a  samurai 
rushed  out  and  with  his  two-handed  sword  almost  cleft 
him  in  twain  with  a  single  blow.  The  remaining  two  gen- 
tlemen and  a  lady  escaped  after  having  received  several 
sword  cuts  and  being  otherwise  roughly  handled. 

"When  news  of  the  incident  reached  Tokio  excite- 
ment reached  fever  heat  and  the  guards  around  the  em- 
bassies were  doubled.     The  English  demanded  at  once  an 

[162] 


A  BIRD'S  EYE  VIEW  OF  YOKOHAMA 

indemnity  of  $500,000  from  the  central  government  and 
$125,000  from  the  Prince  of  Satsuma.  The  shogun  apolo- 
gized and  willingly  paid  the  $500,000,  but  was  powerless 
to  deal  with  the  mighty  Prince  of  Satsuma,  who  had  con- 
trol of  an  immense  army  and  three  war-ships,  and  besides 
was  partly  able  to  dictate  the  policy  of  the  government. 

"After  several  months  of  fruitless  effort  to  secure  any 
consideration  at  the  hands  of  the  obdurate  prince,  the  Eng- 
lish Government  decided  to  take  the  matter  in  its  own 
hands.  On  the  twelfth  of  the  following  August,  Admiral 
Kufer  sailed  away  from  Yokohama  with  seven  British  men- 
of-war  and  shortly  afterwards  appeared  off  the  port  of 
Kagoshima  and  repeated  his  demands  which  were  indig- 
nantly refused  by  the  irate  prince.  Without  further  delay 
the  admiral  opened  fire  on  the  forts,  which  lined  the  shores 
of  the  city,  and  the  town  itself,  which  is  said  to  have  con- 
tained 180,000  people. 

"As  a  result  of  the  engagement  the  three  armed  steamers 
were  captured  and  destroyed,  the  forts  dismantled,  and  al- 
most the  entire  town  burned.  In  order  to  escape  further 
reprisal  the  indemnity  was  finally  paid  but  the  samurai  who 
committed  the  foul  murder  was  never  surrendered.  Dur- 
ing the  engagement  the  English  lost  in  killed  and  wounded 
two  officers  and  sixty-three  men.  The  result  of  the  bom- 
bardment convinced  Lord  Saburo  that  the  Western  arma- 
ments of  war  and  equipment  were  superior  to  the  Japa- 
nese and  it  was  not  long  after  this  that  the  first  company  of 
Japanese  students  was  sent  to  England,  and  orders  given 
to  purchase  cannon  and  warships  from  that  country." 


[163] 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

TRIP  TO  KAMAKURA  AND  THE  GREAT  DAI- 
BUTSU 

Society  op  Yokohama  —  The  Britisher  in  the  Orient  — 
His  Love  op  Exercise  and  Clubs  —  Mrs.  Weppner's 
Tribute  to  the  Englishman  in  the  Orient  — Visit  to 
Kamakura  —  The  Ancient  Capital  —  Reign  op  Yori- 
tomo  —  Murder  op  Sanetomo  —  Temple  op  Kwannon 

—  The  Great  Dai-butsu —  The  Island  op  Enoshima 

—  The  Goddess  Benten  and  the  Dragon  —  Glimpse 
of  Fuji. 

TWO  very  pleasant  days  had  passed  since  our  arrival 
in  Yokohama  during  which  time  we  had  about  ex- 
hausted its  sights.  Apart  from  the  hotels,  clubs,  and 
shopping  district  there  is  little  in  Yokohama  to  interest 
the  traveller  in  search  of  Japanese  life  and  environment. 
The  foreign  residents  have  made  themselves  fairly  comfort- 
able with  fine  homes,  good  clubs,  tennis  courts,  golf  links, 
and  race  courses.  They  have  Protestant  and  Roman 
churches,  newspapers  printed  in  English  and  theatres  in 
which  entertainments  are  given  by  English,  Australian, 
or  European  troupes  of  a  moderately  good  quality. 

Society  has  not  crystallized  as  yet  among  the  foreign  ele- 
ment, and  social  gatherings  in  which  both  sexes  meet  are 
rare.  The  foreign  contingent  remain  in  Yokohama  prin- 
cipally for  business  reasons  and  for  the  accumulation  of 
wealth.  Those  who  are  ambitious  for  social  distinction 
gratify  their  desires  by  joining  the  gay  diplomatic  world 
at  Tokio,  which  is  only  a  short  twenty  miles  away. 

[164] 


TRIP  TO  KAMAKURA 

The  Britisher  living  in  the  Orient  loves  his  home,  his  ten- 
nis court,  golf  links,  horse-back  ride,  cold  bath  and  club  — 
and  I  may  add  his  pipe  and  his  flowing  bowl.  It  matters 
not  what  part  of  the  Orient  or  the  Far  East  you  visit,  you 
will  find  the  stalwart  Britisher  with  his  business  integrity, 
his  hospitality,  and  his  club.  He  still  lives  in  the  mediseval 
day  of  the  West  and  imagines  because  his  father  did 
so,  he  must  also  dispose  of  so  many  cases  of  Watson,  Bu- 
chanan, or  Dewar.  I  have  met  him  in  the  treaty  ports 
of  Japan,  along  the  seacoast  towns  of  China,  in  Hong  Kong, 
Manila,  Singapore  and  from  Karachi  to  Chittygong,  and 
have  always  found  his  setting  to  be  the  same.  A  com- 
fortable club,  a  well-filled  cellar,  and  a  jolly  set  of  good 
fellows. 

Should  the  stage  be  removed  to  Manila,  it  would  be 
"muchacho,  take  the  orders,  and  muy  pronto,  do  you 
mind, "  or  "  I  say,  old  chappie,  let  's  have  another  on  hemp 
which  has  gone  up  several  points  since  yesterday  and  an- 
other on  copra,  which  is  out  of  sight  to-day."  You  may 
enter  every  seaport  town  in  the  East,  or  visit  any  inland 
city  of  commercial  importance  throughout  India  and  there 
in  his  club,  after  the  labors  of  the  day  are  over,  you  will 
find  your  English  cousin,  and  it  's  "boy,  here,"  and  it  's 
"boy,  there,"  and  it  's  "boy,  boy,"  everywhere. 

I  scarcely  think  it  fair  that  Mrs.  Margaretha  Weppner 
should  say,  in  the  North  Star  and  Southern  Cross:  "It  is 
well  understood  that  the  life  of  the  European  in  Japan  is, 
after  all,  a  wretched  one.  The  senses  and  the  animal  ap- 
petites are  abundantly  provided  for,  but  the  mind  and  the 
soul  are  left  totally  destitute.  There  are  clubs,  it  is  true, 
but  at  the  time  of  my  stay  in  Yokohama,  they  were  mere 
gastronomical  resorts.  The  pure-minded  men  of  the  is- 
land live  at  home  where  they  can  enjoy  just  as  much  com- 
fort as  in  the  clubs  and  are  rarely  seen  in  them  except  when 
dramatic  companies,  comedians,  whistlers,  or  such  people 
visit  the  land. 

"I  had  occasion  to  remark  during  my  stay  in  Yokohama 
[165] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

that  the  perennial  monotony  of  the  place  and  the  sensual 
life  led  there  have  reduced  many  of  them  to  a  state  bor- 
dering on  imbecility.  It  was  difficult  to  believe  that  the 
drivelling  trash  which  they  talked  could  have  its  origin 
in  the  head  at  all.  The  eyes  of  such  men  are  dull  and  they 
have  a  kind  of  idiotic  stare.  They  see  and  hear  only  what 
attracts  the  stomach  and  senses.  It  is  useless  moralizing 
on  the  subject,  but  I  cannot  refrain  from  adding  that  the 
impression  produced  upon  a  healthy  mind  by  this  porten- 
tous abasement  is  very  disheartening." 

It  was  after  the  dinner  hour,  and  we  were  enjoying  our 
cigars  in  the  lobby  of  the  hotel  while  listening  to  strains 
of  most  excellent  music  played  by  a  Portuguese  string 
band.  And  let  me  say  that  the  lobby  of  the  Grand  is  al- 
ways interesting,  for  here  are  constantly  to  be  found  dis- 
tinguished and  interesting  people  from  all  parts  of  the 
world. 

"We  have  expended  our  full  limit  of  time  on  Yokohama, 
Mr.  Ehodes,"  said  the  Judge,  "and  must  start  north  if  we 
intend  to  carry  out  our  schedule  on  time." 

"Before  leaving,  however,  we  should  visit  Kamakura,  the 
ancient  capital  of  the  shogunate,"  remarked  the  Major, 
"which  lies  but  an  hour  by  rail  from  here." 

"By  no  means  should  we  fail  to  go  there,"  added  the 
Judge,  "for  it  is  not  only  the  most  charming  outing  from 
here,  but  the  most  interesting  from  a  historical  point  of 
view.  Fortunately  the  weather  is  clear,  and  should  we 
have  a  bright  day  to-morrow,  we  may  be  fortunate  enough 
to  get  a  glimpse  of  sacred  Fujiyama." 

"We  were  lucky  indeed  on  the  day  of  our  visit  to  Kama- 
kura and  Enoshima,  for  on  rising  the  following  morning 
the  sun  was  shining  as  brightly  as  the  Polar  Star  and  the 
sky  unflecked  by  a  single  cloud.  On  emerging  from  the 
train  at  Kamakura  we  found  ourselves  in  a  low  valley  of 
bamboo,  pine,  and  majestic  cypress  trees  and  saw  on  the 
site  of  that  once  famous  and  populous  city  small  hamlets 

[166] 


TRIP  TO  KAMAKURA 

and  straggling  clusters  of  humble  cottages,  where  once 
stood  the  magnificent  palaces  of  powerful  nobles  and  gor- 
geous temples  of  Buddhist  priests. 

With  closed  eyes  one  can  mentally  revert  to  the  daily 
scenes  of  that  once  gay  metropolis,  the  clanking  arms  of 
the  mailed  and  helmeted  samurai  returning  from  a  victori- 
ous campaign  against  the  savage  Ainos  of  the  North,  the 
proud  and  haughty  daimio  receiving  the  thundered  ap- 
plause from  the  populace  as  he  passes  by  in  norimono 
surrounded  by  his  bodyguard,  and  from  across  the  distant 
hills  the  tinkling  of  a  thousand  temple  bells  from  a  hundred 
wooded  slopes  and  shaded  dells,  warning  the  people  of  the 
hour  of  prayer. 

"Kamakura,"  said  the  Major,  "which  had  been  nothing 
more  than  a  simple  fishing  village  up  to  1192,  was  selected 
in  that  year  by  the  great  Shogun  Yoritomo  for  his  capital, 
and  became  the  metropolis  of  Japan  and  headquarters  of 
the  actual  government.  It  is  true  at  this  time  Kioto  was 
the  city  of  the  Imperial  residence  and  the  capital  of  the 
sacred  Mikado,  but  it  will  be  remembered  that  his  was  but 
the  shadow  of  a  government  and  his  prerogative  confined 
to  the  appointment  of  court  officials,  Buddhist  prelates,  and 
the  regulation  of  court  etiquette.  The  real  authority  was 
vested  in  the  hands  of  the  mighty  shogun  who  made  laws 
for  the  country,  imposed  taxes,  appointed  governors  and 
even  deposed  and  appointed  Mikados  when  he  found  it  to 
his  interest  to  do  so.  The  brilliant  capital  established  here 
by  Yoritomo,  the  magnificent  palaces,  gilded  temples,  and 
great  Dai-butsu,  dimmed  by  reflected  light  the  glory  of  the 
sacred  capital  at  Kioto  and  started  a  wave  of  prosperity 
and  growth  which  continued  until  its  barricades  contained 
a  million  souls. 

"After  the  death  of  that  great  warrior  and  statesman 
Yoritomo,  in  1198,  in  consequence  of  a  fall  from  his  horse, 
the  power  of  the  shogunate  was  transferred  to  the  powerful 
family  of  Hojos  who,  as  regents,  controlled  the  government 

[167] 


ON  LEAVE   IN  JAPAN 

until  1333,  in  which  year  they  were  defeated  by  the  cele- 
brated general  Nitta  in  a  great  battle  fought  at  Kamakura, 
during  which  the  city  was  almost  destroyed  by  fire. 

"Kamakura  was  repeatedly  sacked,  destroyed,  and  re- 
built until  1603,  when  Yedo  was  selected  as  his  capital  by 
that  famous  warrior  and  shogun,  Ieyasu,  the  founder  of 
the  Tokugawa  line.  From  this  time  on  Kamakura  began 
to  dwindle  away  and  the  brilliant  capital  of  four  centuries 
gradually  returned  a  few  generations  later  to  the  unim- 
portant fishing  village  from  which  it  had  originally 
emerged.  Yet  its  site  remains  wrapt  in  the  grandeur  of  its 
former  greatness.  Occupying  a  commanding  position  on 
a  hill  reached  by  an  avenue  of  pines  leading  all  the  way 
from  the  sea,  stands  the  Temple  of  Hachiman  which  was 
built  in  the  twelfth  century.  It  is  not  only  a  shrine  but  a 
museum  as  well,  for  in  the  adjoining  rooms  may  be  seen 
many  warlike  relics  of  mediaeval  days,  among  which  are 
the  banner  borne  by  Ieyasu  at  the  battle  of  Sekigahara, 
his  helmet,  armor,  and  sword. 

"On  the  side  of  the  entrance  stands  the  celebrated  icho 
tree  which  is  twenty  feet  in  diameter  and  said  to  be  over 
a  thousand  years  old.  If  this  old  tree  could  speak,  what 
a  tragedy  it  could  unfold  in  the  recital  of  the  murder  of 
the  young  Shogun  Sanetomo  who  was  assassinated  by  his 
own  nephew,  the  high  priest,  as  he  descended  the  stone 
steps  in  front  of  the  temple!  Sanetomo  was  the  son  of 
Yoritomo  and  had  a  foreboding  that  he  was  to  be  killed. 
On  the  morning  that  the  deed  was  committed  he  plucked  a 
hair  from  his  head  and  gave  it  to  the  attendant,  saying, 
'Keep  this  in  memory  of  me.' 

"On  an  eminence  commanding  a  beautiful  view  of  the 
seashore  stands  the  Temple  of  Kwannon,  the  great  Goddess 
of  Mercy.  Her  statue  is  made  of  brown  lacquer,  stands 
over  thirty  feet  high,  and  is  closed  in  from  the  public  gaze 
by  a  pair  of  folding  doors.  Owing  to  the  poor  method  of 
illumination,  which  at  present  is  accomplished  by  means 
of  a  few  candles,  it  is  difficult  to  secure  a  good  view  of 

[168] 


TRIP  TO  KAMAKURA 

the  goddess's  face.  Some  day,  perhaps,  when  the  enterprise 
of  the  West  takes  full  possession  of  the  East,  electricity 
will  be  utilized  to  show  off  the  face  of  this  popular 
divinity. 

' '  The  solitary  relic  of  grandeur  of  this  once  famous  cap- 
ital, the  colossal  figure  of  the  great  Dai-butsu,  which 
stands  alone  among  the  works  of  art  of  the  Japanese  people, 
sits  upon  his  throne  in  a  sequestered  garden  sheltered  by 
wooded  hills,  great  pines,  and  noble  cryptomerias.  This 
magnificent  statue  of  bronze  was  cast  in  1252  by  Ono 
Garoeman  upon  the  initiative  of  Yoritomo,  who  conceived 
the  idea  of  locating  a  colossal  figure  of  Buddha  at  his  own 
capital  after  seeing  the  one  at  Nara. 

"The  Dai-butsu  was  originally  sheltered  under  a  tem- 
ple roof  fifty  yards  square  supported  by  eighty-three 
massive  wooden  pillars.  The  building  was  twice  destroyed 
by  fire  and  tidal  wave,  the  last  time  in  1494,  since  which 
period  it  has  never  been  rebuilt.  So  now,  exposed  to  the 
fierce  storms  of  winter  and  heavy  rains  of  summer,  the 
great  Buddha,  in  defiance  of  the  elements,  sits  upon  a 
throne  of  stone  in  all  its  grandeur,  unhampered  and  sur- 
rounded by  nought  save  the  blue  canopy  of  heaven  above 
and  the  majestic  cryptomerias  in  the  rear  which  form  its 
noble  background. .  No  other  statue  in  all  Japan  so  truly 
symbolizes  the  central  idea  of  Buddhism,  the  spiritual 
peace  which  comes  of  perpetual  knowledge  and  the  subju- 
gation of  the  passions." 

The  following  descriptive  poem  on  Kamakura,  written 
by  Basho,  gives  an  excellent  poetic  idea  of  that  once  famous 
capital : 

City  of  dream-land,  ruined  and  sad, 
Once  home  of  a  people  joyous  and  glad. 
All  that  is  left,  "a  tale  that  is  told," 
Temples  dismantled  and  monuments  cold. 

Ashes  to  ashes,  dust  unto  dust, 
Glory  departed,  swords  turned  to  rust. 
[169] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

Weeds,  all  that  is  left  of  hearts  brave  and  gay, 
Who  erst  to  the  battle  went  marching  away. 

Citadel  perished,  towns  fallen  away 
Fortress  and  temple  doomed  to  decay, 
Courtier  and  warrior  in  panoply  bright, 
Passed  like  a  shadowy  dream  of  the  night. 

Oh,  Buddha  Eternal!    Thus  come  we  and  go, 
Fleeting  is  matter,  "Sho-gy-o  mu-jo."  * 
Such  were  thy  words,  what  waxeth  must  wane, 
After  calm  there  is  storm,  after  sunshine  the  rain. 
Naught  is  a  permanence,  glory  but  show 
That  leads  to  destruction,  "Zesh-o  mep-po."  f 

The  first  glimpse  one  gets  of  the  great  Dai-butsu  is  some- 
what disappointing  and  one  should  really  return  several 
times  to  appreciate  the  divinity  and  majesty  of  the  figure. 
Unfortunately  the  little  pine-clad  garden  and  rough  back- 
ground of  hills  do  not  set  off  to  advantage  the  solemnity 
and  mystic  grandeur  of  this  great  work  of  mediaeval  art. 
Were  it  located  on  some  magnificent  plain,  ocean  strand, 
or  mountain  ledge,  the  effect  would  be  altogether  different. 

Insensible  to  the  passage  of  time  during  our  visit  to  the 
great  Buddha,  the  hour  for  return  had  arrived,  especially 
as  we  were  to  visit  the  famous  peninsula  of  Enoshima, 
which  is  located  down  the  coast  near  the  mouth  of  the 
Sakaigawa  River.  To  reach  this  celebrated  spot  from  Kam- 
akura  the  traveller  should  take  the  electric  train  to  the  vil- 
lage of  Katase  skirting  the  shore  and  passing  the  beach 
where  the  Hojos  in  1265  beheaded  the  ambassadors  of  Kub- 
lai  Khan,  sent  to  demand  the  submission  of  Japan  to  the 
great  Tartar  Conqueror. 

On  arrival  at  the  station  the  trip  across  the  sand-dune 
to  the  mystic  island  consumes  but  a  few  minutes  and  leads 
the  visitor  through  a  street  of  restaurants,  shops,  and  curio- 

*  Means,  "All  phenomena  are  impermanent." 
f  "They  are  subject  to  the  law  of  origination  and  perishing." 

[170] 


TRIP  TO  KAMAKURA 

booths  in  which  can  be  secured  an  assortment  of  corals, 
shells,  and  marine  curiosities. 

The  Island  of  Enoshima  has  been  noted  in  the  legend  of 
Japan  for  ages  as  the  home  of  the  child-devouring  dragon. 
According  to  the  mythological  account  the  Goddess  Benten 
appeared  about  the  sixth  century  and  married  the  dragon, 
which  put  an  end  to  his  ravages.  The  simple  natives  to 
this  day  show  the  visitor  the  cave  at  the  foot  of  its  pre- 
cipitous sides,  in  which  the  fearful  monster  lived. 

The  island  has  become  a  popular  resort  for  the  natives 
of  Tokio  and  Yokohama,  and  contains  a  number  of  excel- 
lent native  inns  which  are  located  along  its  sides  and  sum- 
mit. The  view  of  Fujiyama  and  the  sea  obtained  from  the 
crest  of  the  island  on  a  clear  day  would  of  itself  alone  well 
repay  for  the  journey  there. 

The  shadows  were  beginning  to  lengthen  as  we  descended 
the  zigzag  avenue  of  the  famous  Dragon  Island,  and  cross- 
ing the  sand-dune  a  few  minutes  later,  we  caught  the  train 
to  Fujiwara  and  returned  to  Yokohama  via  the  Tokaida 
railway. 


[171] 


CHAPTER  XIX 

DOWN  THE  COAST  OF  SAGAMI  TO  YOKOSUKA 

Down  the  Coast  op  Sagami  —  Treaty  Point  —  Sugita 
and  the  Plum  Blossoms  —  The  Plains  of  Heaven  — 
The  View  across  Yedo  Bay  —  Kanazawa  the  True 
and  Beautiful  —  Dyzuki  Summer  Palace  of  the 
Crown  Prince  —  Yokosuka,  the  Dockyard  of  Japan 
—  The  Tomb  of  Will  Adams  —  The  Dinner  at  Kai- 
yo-ken  —  The  Polyglot  Army  Engineers  —  Return 
to  Yokohama. 

ALTHOUGH  the  distance  from  Yokohama  to  Tokio 
was  but  a  short  fifty  minutes  by  rail  and  the  attrac- 
tions of  the  Mikado 's  metropolis  very  tempting  to  the  tour- 
ist, we  decided  to  postpone  our  visit  there  until  we  had 
made  an  excursion  down  the  east  coast  of  the  peninsula  of 
Sagami  to  the  great  dock-yard  town  of  Yokosuka,  and  pos- 
sibly as  far  south  as  Misaki  which  is  located  on  the  toe 
of  the  peninsula  and  contains  the  Marine  Biological 
Laboratory. 

The  favorite  route  to  Yokosuka  is  by  means  of  ricksha, 
though  the  journey  may  be  more  expeditiously  made  by 
taking  the  Ofuna  Branch  Railway  which  terminates  at  the 
dock-yard  town.  An  outing  by  ricksha  is  far  preferable  to 
rail,  not  only  on  account  of  the  superior  beauty  of  the  ma- 
rine and  pastoral  scenery  en  route,  but  because  of  the  halts 
which  the  traveller  is  enabled  to  make  in  the  interesting 
places  passed. 

A  short  distance  below  Yokohama  we  reach  Treaty  Point 
where  Commodore  Perry  convinced  the  shogun  in  July, 

[172] 


SAGAMI  TO  YOKOSUKA 

1854,  that  the  open  door  would  be  of  great  benefit  to 
the  sealed  empire  of  Japan  and  of  mutual  interest  to  the 
United  States.  From  this  point  the  road  skirts  along  the 
shore  of  Mississippi  Bay,  where  the  fleet  lay  anchored  dur- 
ing the  New  Era  of  the  Orient,  and  follows  along  to  the  lit- 
tle coast  village  of  Sugita,  famous  for  its  plum  blossoms  in 
season  and  Japanese  inns. 

Farther  along  we  pass  Tomioka,  which  lies  about  two 
miles  and  a  half  below,  and  is  noted  for  its  excellent  sea- 
bathing. The  road  now  inclines  upward  along  indented 
shores,  wooded  slopes,  and  bold  cliffs  until  we  reach  No- 
kendo  on  the  crest  of  the  hill,  where  a  scene  of  such  rare 
beauty  bursts  upon  the  vision  that  the  natives,  centuries 
ago,  called  it  the  Plains  of  Heaven.  Near  here  can  be  seen 
the  noted  pine  tree,  Fude-sute-matsu,  which  marks  the  spot 
where  the  Japanese  artist  in  olden  times  in  despair  flung 
away  his  brush  and  easel  and  killed  himself  because  he  was 
unable  to  reproduce  the  glories  of  the  scene.  The  magnifi- 
cent view  which  greets  the  eye  from  the  summit  beggars 
description  and  evokes  a  feeling  of  deep  sympathy  for  the 
unfortunate  artist  who  destroyed  himself  because  he  was 
unable  to  transfer  to  canvas  the  spirit  of  the  enchanting 
picture.  The  prospect  was  superb  and  of  itself  alone  well 
worth  the  journey  from  Yokohama. 

Across  golden  valleys  of  waving  rice  lie  the  blue  waters 
of  Yedo's  famous  bay,  while  miles  beyond  can  be  seen  the 
indented  shores,  sand  plains,  and  purple,  serrated  hills 
of  the  peninsula  of  Boshu.  Quietly  nestling  within  the 
land-locked  inlet  far  below,  which  is  bounded  by  the  ma- 
jestic promontory  of  Kwannon-Saki,  lies  a  verdant  group 
of  isles  among  which  are  two  named  after  Perry  and  Web- 
ster, heroes  who  until  the  end  of  time  will  be  associated 
with  the  rise  of  this  modern  Roman  Empire  of  the  East. 

Descending  the  hill  to  the  inlet  of  Matsura  we  reach  the 
village  of  Kanazawa  which  attracts  many  visitors  during 
the  season  to  admire  the  wonderful  peony  garden,  some  of 
the  plants  of  which  are  said  to  be  more  than  three  hundred 

[173] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

years  old.  While  Kanazawa  lies  but  twelve  miles  distant 
from  Yokohama  as  the  crow  flies,  it  is  rarely  visited  by  the 
foreign  tourist.  The  natural  beauty  of  its  environment 
and  quiet  pleasure  of  village  life,  should  make  it  popular 
with  the  foreign  travelling  public  were  its  beauties  only 
known.  Nature  has  decorated  modest  Kanazawa  with  a 
lavish  hand  and  this  modest  little  village  will  ever  remain 
a  favorite  with  the  traveller  in  quest  of  the  true  and  the 
beautiful. 

Full  many  a  gem  of  purest  ray  serene, 
The  dark,  unfathomed  caves  of  ocean  bear, 

Full  many  a  flower  is  born  to  blush  unseen, 
And  waste  its  sweetness  on  the  desert  air. 

From  Kanazawa  we  leave  the  eastern  shore  of  the  penin- 
sula and  over  hill  and  dale  continue  the  journey  to  Dyzuki, 
which  lies  between  the  Ofuna  railway  and  the  shore  of 
Sagami  Bay.  This  flourishing  village  is  not  only  a  popu- 
lar seaside  resort,  but  the  summer  residence  of  the  Crown 
Prince,  Japanese  noblemen,  and  many  wealthy  foreign  res- 
idents. At  this  point  we  dismiss  our  rickshas  and  continue 
the  journey  to  Yokosuka  by  rail,  a  distance  of  six  miles  far- 
ther down  the  eastern  coast. 

The  thriving  town  of  Yokosuka  is  the  site  of  the  oldest 
and  largest  government  dockyard  in  the  empire  and  has 
produced  many  of  Japan's  most  famous  battleships  and 
cruisers.  The  yards  are  safely  located  within  a  land-locked 
bay  and  are  strongly  fortified  against  sea  attack.  It  is 
the  oldest  of  the  five  national  dockyards  and  contains  three 
dry  docks,  one  of  which  is  502  feet  long,  94  feet  wide,  and 
28  feet  deep,  large  enough  to  accommodate  the  largest  bat- 
tleship belonging  to  the  navy. 

In  order  to  visit  the  yard  strangers  are  required  to  se- 
cure permits  from  the  local  naval  authorities,  but  it  is  rare 
even  then  for  the  visitor  to  secure  permission  to  inspect  a 
vessel  under  construction  on  the  ways.  Since  the  date  of 
its  location,  which  was  some  time  during  the  early  sixties, 

[174] 


SAGAMI  TO  YOKOSUKA 

the  village  has  grown  to  be  a  place  of  considerable  im- 
portance and  covers  the  surrounding  hills,  which  have 
been  cleared  of  their  woods  to  accommodate  the  increased 
growth.  A  half  mile  below  the  town  lies  the  Torpedo  Sta- 
tion of  Naga-ura,  which  is  connected  to  Yokosuka  by  an  ar- 
tificial waterway. 

The  remaining  national  dockyards  are  located  at  Kure, 
in  the  Inland  Sea,  Sasebo,  on  the  Island  of  Kyushu,  Mai- 
zuru,  in  the  Province  of  Tango  on  the  Sea  of  Japan,  and 
Muroran,  in  Yezo.  On  account  of  its  central  location  and 
security  against  foreign  invasion,  Kure  is  the  coming  dock- 
yard of  the  empire  and  will  be  provided  with  dry 
docks  large  enough  to  accommodate  the  most  formidable 
dreadnaughts. 

Four  miles  farther  down  the  coast  lies  the  village  of 
Uraga,  built  on  both  sides  of  a  narrow  harbor  and  afford- 
ing a  most  beautiful  view  of  the  harbor  and  bay  from  the 
hills  above.  Uraga  is  chiefly  noted  for  being  the  port  in 
which  Commodore  Perry  first  landed,  when  he  presented 
the  credentials  from  President  Fillmore  on  July  8,  1853. 
The  spot  of  landing  was  marked  by  a  stone  monument  in 
1901. 

The  stranger  who  goes  to  Yokosuka  should  by  no  means 
neglect  a  visit  to  the  tomb  of  poor  Will  Adams,  the  English 
pilot,  who  lies  buried  on  a  high  hill  overlooking  the  bay  not 
far  from  the  railroad  station.  In  the  hope  of  amassing  a 
fortune  in  trade  among  the  spice  islands  of  the  East,  fabu- 
lous stories  of  which  had  drifted  back  to  Europe  through 
Portuguese  and  Spanish  sailors,  he  bade  farewell  to  wife, 
loved  ones  at  home,  and  the  shores  of  fair  Albion  in  1558, 
and  after  battling  for  two  years  over  unknown  seas,  was 
driven  to  the  unfriendly  shores  of  Kyushu. 

Japan  was  sealed  to  the  world  at  this  time  and  the  for- 
eigner who  had  the  temerity  to  venture  upon  her  forbidden 
shores,  in  accordance  with  laws  of  the  country,  was  sub- 
jected to  horrible  persecution  followed  by  cruel  death. 
Adams  was  sent  as  a  captive  to  Yedo,  before  the  great  Sho- 

[175] 


ON  LEAVE   IN  JAPAN 

gun  Ieyasu  who  had  but  recently  usurped  the  throne  and 
established  his  capital  there.  Fortunately  for  Will  Adams, 
he  understood  the  art  of  shipbuilding  and,  besides,  was  an 
able  and  honest  man.  The  wise  shogun  realized  the  value 
of  the  Englishman's  services  and  instead  of  carrying  out 
the  sentence  of  death,  remitted  it  to  labor  in  his  service 
and  life  imprisonment  in  the  country. 

Adams  was  charged  with  shipbuilding  and  in  the  course 
of  his  career  produced  a  number  of  large  vessels,  some  of 
which  were  utilized  by  the  shogun  as  warships,  or  in  trade 
with  the  neighboring  countries.  He  also  became  very  use- 
ful to  the  government  as  diplomatic  agent  in  Yedo  where 
his  services  were  needed  during  the  yearly  visits  of  the 
Dutch  Embassy  from  Nagasaki,  which  came  at  the  bidding 
of  the  shogun  to  make  report  and  bring  the  annual  gifts. 
On  account  of  his  valiant  services  and  upright  character, 
Adams  succeeded  in  winning  the  friendship  and  admira- 
tion of  the  shogun  and  was  granted  an  estate  containing 
a  hundred  vassals  with  a  patent  of  nobility.  He  was  also 
given  a  Japanese  wife,  whom  he  unwillingly  accepted,  al- 
though he  realized  that  he  would  never  be  permitted  to  re- 
turn to  England,  or  see  his  loved  ones  at  home  again. 

After  a  strenuous  service  of  over  twenty  years,  in  1620, 
poor  Will  Adams  died,  and  lies  buried  with  his  Japanese 
wife  on  a  high  hill  formerly  belonging  to  his  own  estate, 
overlooking  the  dockyard  of  Yokosuka,  where  he  spent  the 
remainder  of  his  busy  life,  trying  to  forget  his  sad  exile 
in  a  foreign  land  and  perpetual  banishment  from  home  and 
loved  ones.  The  many  letters  he  left  are  published  in  the 
"Memorials  of  Japan,"  and  are  well  worth  reading,  as 
they  contain  a  description  of  the  country  at  the  time  it 
was  swarming  with  Catholic  friars  and  before  the  energy 
of  the  people  had  been  palsied  by  the  seclusion  of  two  and 
a  half  centuries. 

"Come,  gentlemen,"  said  the  Major,  after  reaching  the 
town  again,  "we  will  now  visit  the  Kaiyoken,  the  little 
Japanese  restaurant  at  the  foot  of  the  wharf,  where  I  feel 

[176] 


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SAGAMI  TO  YOKOSUKA 

sure  we  will  be  able  to  obtain  a  very  fair  native 
dinner. ' ' 

The  invitation  to  dine  was  hailed  with  delight,  both  by 
the  Judge  and  myself,  since  we  had  left  Yokohama  shortly 
after  sunrise  and  were  as  hungry  as  young  coyotes.  As  we 
were  nearing  the  restaurant  the  host  and  entire  house- 
hold, who  no  doubt  saw  us  approaching,  came  out  to  greet 
us  and  we  were  fairly  overcome  with  welcoming  salutations 
and  profound  bows,  until  ushered  into  the  little  salle-a 
manger  and  comfortably  seated  d  la  Japonaise,  on  spotless 
rush  mats,  by  the  side  of  the  daintiest  little  lacquered 
tables  imaginable,  not  more  than  six  inches  high.  Save  an 
exquisite  vase  filled  with  trailing  wistaria  resting  on  a  deli- 
cate stand,  a  hand-painted  kakemono  of  white  chrysanthe- 
mums hanging  on  the  opposite  wall,  and  the  mats  and 
tables  previously  mentioned,  the  room  was  empty. 

Furniture  in  the  Japanese  household,  according  to  the 
European  idea  is  conspicuous  for  its  absence.  The  bed 
consists  of  a  large  quilted  rug,  called  a  futon,  which  is  hid- 
den from  sight  during  the  day  in  a  cupboard  or  clothes- 
press,  while  carpets,  curtains,  chairs,  tables,  and  other  arti- 
cles of  furniture  used  by  Americans  and  Europeans,  only 
exist  in  the  homes  of  a  few  of  the  nobles  or  diplomats,  and 
then  purely  out  of  deference  to  the  Western  barbarians, 
who  enter  these  homes  as  guests.  Likewise  the  stove  or  fire- 
place finds  no  place  in  the  home  of  the  native,  even  among 
the  well-to-do  classes.  The  hibachi,  which  is  frequently 
ornate  and  made  of  bronze  or  brass,  with  a  small  shovel  of 
charcoal,  provides  heat  for  the  family,  even  in  Tokio  where 
the  climate  in  winter  equals,  as  a  rule,  that  of  New  York, 
in  rigor.  One  thing,  however,  exists  in  abundance  in  ev- 
ery household,  whether  it  be  the  home  of  the  noble  or  peas- 
ant, of  the  rich  or  the  poor,  of  the  country  boor  or  city 
patrician,  and  that  is  exemplary  and  spotless  cleanliness. 

Before  entering  the  door  of  the  little  restaurant  we  were 
politely  invited  to  sit  upon  the  stoop  and  have  our  shoes 
replaced  by  sandals,  which  service  was  performed  by  the 
12  [  177  ] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

smiling  little  nesans,  while  the  host  occupied  the  interval 
in  making  obsequious  genuflexions  and  uttering  abject  apol- 
ogies for  disturbing  our  honorable  feet.  O  vain-glori- 
ous sons  and  daughters  of  the  great  Western  republic, 
with  all  of  your  boasted  civilization,  wealth,  and  blandish- 
ments, hasten  to  Dai-Nippon  and  drink  from  this  fount  of 
good-breeding,  where  urbanity  and  innate  refinement  are 
the  heritance  of  every  one  and  universal  politeness  the  con- 
trolling national  asset! 

The  courtesies  of  the  moment  were  over  and,  a  Dios  gra- 
cias,  our  host  and  staff  appeared  on  their  errand  of  mercy, 
for,  streaming  in  from  behind  sliding  doors,  came  trooping 
processions  of  lovely  little  nesans,  waddling  along  in  knock- 
kneed  fashion,  like  so  many  gayly  decorated  mandarin 
ducks,  each  one  bearing  aloft  bowls  of  steaming  sake  and 
trays  of  succulent  food.  There  have  been  occasions  in  my 
life  when  my  very  soul  went  forth  in  profound  sympathy 
to  the  author  of  that  inspiring  lyric,  the  ' '  Clink  of  the  Ice 
in  the  Pitcher,"  for  who  could  have  touched  the  soul  of 
man  so  deeply  as  one  who  had  felt  the  pangs  of  a  burning 
thirst ! 

God  bless  that  ancient  daimio,  who  ages  ago  conjured 
into  life  the  divine  and  satisfying  beverage  sake!  Come, 
hasten,  fair  daughter  of  Nippon,  with  that  saving  cup  ere 
we  die !  Ah !  one,  two,  three  of  those  flowing  bowls  and  the 
miracle  is  wrought.  Languor,  fatigue,  and  weariness  have 
folded  their  tents  and  silently  stolen  away,  while  the  crim- 
son current  of  life,  with  renewed  vigor,  once  more  flows 
through  flagging  artery  and  sluggish  vein. 

Looking  back  through  the  dim  vista  of  many  months, 
I  can  not  recall  the  entire  detail  of  that  delicious  menu. 
I  remember,  however,  there  were  bowls  of  savory  soup 
made  from  seaweed,  portions  of  boiled  fish  as  white  as  the 
crest  of  Fuji  in  midwinter,  slices  of  vinegared  fish  with 
youthful  Irish  potatoes,  curries  of  rice  garnished  with  a 
half  dozen  Oriental  condiments,  delicately  fried  egg-plant, 
salads  of  prawn,  rings  of  the  squid  which  is  a  delicacy 

[178] 


SAGAMI  TO  YOKOSUKA 

in  Oriental  waters,  bowls  of  pearly  rice,  transparent  jellies, 
preserved  ginger,  fragrant  tea  from  the  fields  around  Kioto 
and  an  appetite  fit  for  the  gods.  The  dinner  was  over, 
our  hunger  gone,  as  we  sat  listening  to  the  weird  songs  of 
geisha  girls,  which  were  accompanied  by  the  thrumming 
of  the  samisen. 

Time  can  never  efface  from  memory  the  recollections 
of  that  delightful  feast  at  Yokosuka,  the  charming  polite- 
ness of  our  host,  the  little  giggling  nesans,  dressed  in  dainty 
kimono  and  brilliant  obi,  and  the  entertainment  furnished 
by  the  geishas.  We  made  our  escape  amidst  a  shower  of 
farewell  salutations,  bows,  and  well  wishes,  which  were  no 
doubt  stimulated,  more  or  less,  by  the  liberal  donation  the 
Major  had  left  in  the  palm  of  the  host  in  the  way  of  tea 
money  or  chadai,  as  the  tip  is  called  in  Japan.  I  can  still 
see  the  winsome  face  of  petite  Violet,  as  she  lisped  in  broken 
English,  "Take  me  home  as  itty  wife."  Stay  where  you 
are,  little  girl,  and  some  day  you  will  raise  gallant  warriors 
to  fight  the  future  battles  of  Dai-Nippon,  which  are  as  in- 
evitable as  the  setting  of  the  waning  sun. 

On  entering  the  station  at  Dyzuki  on  our  return,  our 
coach  was  filled  with  thirty  or  more  engineer  officers,  who 
were  returning  from  a  field  manoeuvre  and  going  back  to 
Tokio.  They  were  an  intelligent-looking  body  of  young 
officers,  uniformed  in  service-dress,  with  field  glass,  officers ' 
case  and  the  never-failing  insignia  of  authority,  the  sabre. 
It  matters  not  where  you  meet  the  Japanese  army  officer 
or  soldier,  you  will  find  him,  like  his  German  prototype, 
from  whom  he  has  imbibed  the  ideas  of  military  life,  with 
side-arms  and  buttoned  up  de  rigueur.  And  more  than 
that  you  will  very  early  recognize  that  grand  seigneur 
manner,  which  leaves  the  impression  that  every  one  must 
step  aside  for  the  descendants  of  the  sons  of  gods. 

As  they  lined  themselves  along  both  sides  of  the  car  I 
saw  a  brilliant  opportunity  for  securing  interesting  facts 
from  the  fountain  head,  from  living  encyclopaedias  in  the 
form  of  these  perambulating  military  oracles  of  the  day. 

[179] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

I  am  free  to  confess  that  I  was  deeply  interested  in  the 
Japanese,  collectively  and  individually,  and  was  beginning 
to  appreciate  the  causes  of  the  empire's  great  successes  in 
the  prosecution  of  war  and  upbuilding  of  a  nation. 

"You  speak  English,  do  you  not,  Captain?"  I  boldly 
ventured  addressing  my  nearest  neighbor. 

With  a  smile  and  a  bow  he  silently  replied  by  pointing 
to  an  officer  down  the  car.     . 

Parbleu!  A  Japanese  officer  and  not  to  speak  English ! 
I  now  renewed  my  question  to  the  officer  indicated  down 
the  line,  who  smiled  in  return  and  referred  to  another  of- 
ficer who  spoke  French. 

Unfortunately  my  education  in  the  universal  court  lan- 
guage of  the  world  had  been  sadly  neglected  in  my  youth, 
but  the  Major  came  to  my  relief,  and  addressing  the  French 
scholar  said,  "Vous  parlez  Frangais,  Monsieur,  n'est-ce 
pas?" 

The  Major's  question  was  greeted  by  a  round  of  giggles 
from  the  entire  company.  No  offence  was  expressed  by 
this  roar  of  hilarity,  for  the  Japanese,  like  amused  and 
good-natured  children,  laugh  on  all  occasions.  They  smile 
when  you  pass  them  on  the  street,  become  rollicksome  when 
you  enter  their  stores,  giggle  when  you  offer  them  one- 
tenth  the  price  demanded  for  their  wares,  and,  I  verily 
believe,  would  thank  the  judge  and  titter  if  sentenced  to 
death. 

The  Major  was  not  to  be  defeated  by  the  smiling  little 
band  and  repeated  his  question.  Away  down  from  the  cor- 
ner of  the  car  came  the  suggestion  that  some  one  spoke 
German. 

The  challenge  was  accepted  by  the  Judge,  who  asked, 
"Giebt  es  jemand  hier,  der  Deutsch  spricht?" 

The  guilty  officer  remained  silent,  while  the  usual  smile 
went  round.  The  situation  was  now  becoming  embar- 
rassing, and  our  sign  language  was  exhausted.  In  vain 
had  the  Judge  and  the  Major  expended  their  best  English, 
French,  German,  and  Spanish,  together  with  a  few  choice 

[180] 


SAGAMI  TO  YOKOSUKA 

sentences  from  Chinook,   Apache,   Sioux,  and   dog-Latin. 
One  of  the  officers  finally  suggested  Esperanto. 

"Oh,  yes,"  replied  the  Major,  "we  all  speak  Esperanto 
in  America,  even  the  children  on  the  streets."  That  was 
too  much  for  our  cheerful  companions  who  were  still  smil- 
ing and  giggling  as  we  reached  Yokohama  and  said 
"Ohio-a,  ohio-a,"  which  means  farewell. 


[181] 


CHAPTER  XX 

FROM  YOKOHAMA  TO  TOKIO  BY  RICKSHA 

From  Yokohama  to  Tokio  by  Ricksha  —  The  Old 
Tokaido  Highway  —  The  Temple  op  Kawasaki  —  The 
Tokio  Race  Club  —  The  Manufacturing  Section  op 
Tokio  —  Murray's  Guide  Book  —  The  Official  Guides 
op  Japan  —  The  American  Embassy  —  Shiba  Park 
and  the  Temple  op  Zojoji  —  The  Mausolea  of  the 
Shoguns  —  Temple  op  Benten  —  The  Shrine  op  Tema 
—  The  Maple  Club  and  Saint  Andrew's  Church. 

ON  entering  the  lobby  of  the  hotel  the  following  morn- 
ing, I  found  the  Judge  and  the  Major  arranging  for  a 
visit  to  Tokio,  which  lies  only  twenty  miles  up  the  bay. 

"We  have  decided  to  visit  the  national  capital  to-day, 
Mr.  Rhodes, ' '  said  the  Major, ' '  and  if  the  plan  be  agreeable 
to  you,  we  will  leave  immediately  after  an  early  break- 
fast." 

"Nothing  would  suit  me  better,"  I  replied,  "since  I  am 
very  anxious  to  see  the  wonderful  metropolis,  which  has 
wrought  such  a  material  change  in  Japan  during  the  past 
half  century." 

"There  are  three  ways  of  reaching  Tokio,"  continued  the 
Judge,  "by  railway,  electric  tram,  or  ricksha,  but  as  we 
have  arranged  for  a  guide  to  meet  us  at  9 :30  this  morning 
in  the  depot  over  there  we  will  have  to  take  the  train." 

The  railroad  system  of  Japan,  which  has  been  modelled 
after  ours,  is  under  government  control.  The  section  be- 
tween Yokohama  and  Tokio  has  the  honor  of  being  the 
first  railroad  built  in  the  empire  and  was  laid  in  1872.     The 

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YOKOHAMA  TO  TOKIO 

trip  by  tram  to  the  capital  takes  an  hour  and  the  passenger 
has  to  make  two  changes  en  route,  one  at  Kanagawa  and 
the  other  at  Shinagawa,  while  the  train  goes  direct  and  re- 
quires but  half  the  time. 

Should  the  tourist  have  abundance  of  time  he  can  put 
in  an  entertaining  and  charming  forenoon  by  going  over 
to  Tokio  by  ricksha.  This  will  enable  him  to  travel  over 
the  old  Tokaido  Highway,  which  formerly  connected  the 
sacred  throne  of  the  Mikado  at  Kioto  with  the  capital  of 
the  powerful  Tokugawa  shoguns  at  old  Yedo.  The  road 
is  bordered  by  fantastic  pine  trees  whose  branches  reach 
out  in  the  most  weird  manner,  while  the  scenery  along  the 
shores  of  the  bay  is  very  entertaining.  The  Tokaido  also 
passes  through  a  number  of  characteristic  Japanese  ham- 
lets and  villages,  among  which  may  be  mentioned  Kan- 
agawa, Kawasaki,  Kamata,  and  Shinagawa,  all  of  which 
possess  considerable  historical  interest.  As  before  men- 
tioned it  was  on  the  great  Tokaido  Highway,  not  far 
from  Kanagawa,  that  a  member  of  Lord  Saburo's  train 
killed  Mr.  Eichardson,  which  incident  led  to  the  bombard- 
ment of  Kiroshima,  the  capital  of  Satsuma  in  1862.  Ka- 
wasaki is  interesting  from  the  fact  that  it  contains  a  won- 
derful miracle-working  temple  dedicated  to  the  Buddhist 
saint  Kobo  Daishi.  The  legend  states  that  the  site  of  the 
temple  became  sanctified  through  an  image  carved  by  the 
saint  himself,  which  had  floated  across  the  Yellow  Sea  from 
China  and  was  caught  in  the  net  of  a  poor  fisherman,  living 
near  by  on  the  coast. 

Like  unto  a  host  of  holy  healing  images,  worshipped  by 
the  faithful  of  the  Roman  Church,  the  Buddhist  image  at 
Kawasaki  has  its  credited  list  of  unquestionable  cures  and 
genuine  resurrections.  The  simple-minded  patrons  of  the 
temple  have  beautified  the  grounds  and  trained  the  trees 
in  the  shape  of  junks. 

Special  trains  are  run  to  Kawasaki  on  the  twenty-first  of 
each  month  for  the  benefit  of  the  people  living  along  the 
line  and  in  the  adjoining  cities.     The  garden  surrounding 

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ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

the  temple  is  beautifully  ornamented  with  flowering  trees, 
parterres  of  flowers,  artistic  monuments,  and  a  lake  con- 
taining live  storks.  The  Japanese  inns,  nestling  among 
gardens  of  plum-trees  in  the  vicinity,  contain  attractive 
tea-houses  and  afford  many  pleasant  hours  to  the  numer- 
ous guests  seeking  an  outing  from  the  crowded  districts 
of  Tokio  and  Yokohama,  especially  during  the  season  of 
the  cherry  and  plum  blossom. 

Beyond  Kawasaki  one  crosses  the  Tamagawa  River,  which 
rises  high  up  in  the  mountain  gorges  far  away  and  passes 
through  a  valley  of  picturesque  beauty.  Near  by  on  the 
left  is  located  the  Tokio  Race  Club  where  the  native  swells 
and  sports,  in  silk  hat  and  frock  coat,  affect  an  imitation 
of  the  Derby  in  merry  England.  Before  reaching  the  cap- 
ital we  pass  through  Shinagawa,  opposite  which  in  the  bay 
may  be  seen  a  number  of  obsolete  forts  built  by  the  slio- 
gun  to  protect  the  capital  against  the  Western  barbarian  a 
half  century  ago.  They  were  built  of  masonry  and  armed 
with  the  old-fashioned  smooth-bores  of  black  powder  days. 
Now,  like  lonely  sentinels,  dismantled  in  the  bay  they  stand, 
serving  no  purpose  save  as  roosting  places  for  the  myriad 
shrieking  sea-fowl  which  hover  over  the  harbor. 

The  railroad  now  approaches  the  manufacturing  portion 
of  the  city,  made  evident  by  the  many  tall  smoke-stacks  of 
iron  tubing,  masonry  not  being  safe  on  account  of  the  fre- 
quent earthquakes,  and  shortly  afterwards  terminates  at 
the  Shimabashi  station  which  is  not  far  distant  from  the 
Imperial,  the  principal  hotel  of  the  city. 

On  arrival  at  the  station  we  found  our  guide  awaiting 
us,  a  middle-aged  Japanese  of  education  and  refinement, 
and  the  president  of  his  guild.  To  those  who  may  have  the 
pleasure  of  visiting  the  land  of  the  Rising  Sun,  I  would 
strongly  advise  the  employment  of  a  guide  who  can  act  as 
interpreter  as  well.  In  the  large  cities,  and  especially  in 
Tokio,  which  covers  an  enormous  area  and  contains  a  pop- 
ulation of  2,000,000  people,  the  stranger  will  find  a  guide 
essential.     Moreover,  the  parks,  temples,  public  buildings, 

[184] 


YOKOHAMA  TO  TOKIO 

and  other  places  worthy  of  a  visit  lie  scattered  over  a  net- 
work of  streets  whose  names  are  more  perplexing  than  a 
complicated  Chinese  puzzle. 

The  traveller  will  usually  find  that  the  pleasure  derived 
from  a  trip  to  the  ancient  capitals  of  Kioto,  Nara,  and 
Tokio  depends  more  or  less  upon  the  historical  associations 
connected  with  the  places  visited.  The  Japanese  as  a  na- 
tion omitted  very  few  of  the  good  things  found  in  the  Pan- 
dora Box  of  the  Western  world  after  Perry's  visit  and  did 
not  fail  to  include  an  examination  of  their  official  guides, 
before  granting  them  a  license  to  ply  their  vocation.  •  They 
are  required  to  have  a  good  general  education,  to  be  pro- 
ficient in  the  history  of  their  country,  and  able  to  speak 
one  or  more  modern  languages  of  Europe,  besides  having 
a  local  knowledge  of  cities  and  places. 

Among  the  articles  which  should  be  included  in  the  tour- 
ist's kit,  when  wandering  through  the  Mikado's  realm,  is 
a  copy  of  Murray's  Hand-Book.  This  valuable  work  is 
indispensable,  although  the  traveller  is  accompanied  by 
a  guide. 

' '  Our  first  official  act, ' '  said  the  Judge,  ' '  and  that  of  ev- 
ery American  who  visits  Tokio,  should  be  a  call  at  the  Le- 
gation, which  will  incidentally  give  us  a  glimpse  of  Old 
Glory,  the  most  beautiful  sight  in  the  world  to  an  American 
who  finds  himself  far  away  from  home." 

With  the  assistance  of  our  guide,  whom  I  shall  designate 
the  Professor,  we  sallied  forth  behind  four  sprightly  rick- 
sharaen,  and  were  soon  rolling  towards  the  hills  of  Okasaka 
where  the  embassy  was  located.  The  Ambassador  had  but 
recently  returned  from  a  visit  to  the  United  States,  via 
the  Siberian  Railroad  and  informed  us  that  he  had  experi- 
enced a  very  wearisome  trip.  Mr.  O'Brien  is  a  tall  and 
dignified  gentleman,  affable  and  urbane,  and  with  an  at- 
tractive face.  In  leaving  the  legation  after  spending  a 
delightful  half  hour,  we  were  pleasantly  impressed  with 
the  fact  that  the  right  man  was  in  the  right  place  and  that 
the  entente  cordial  between  the  two  nations  would  remain 

[185] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

intact  as  long  as  our  distinguished  countryman  was  at 
the  helm. 

"Mr.  Murray  informs  us,  Professor,"  said  the  Major, 
1 '  that  Shiba  Park  is  not  far  distant  from  here,  so  with  your 
kindly  assistance  we  will  proceed  there  by  the  most  direct 
route." 

"And  from  there,"  asked  the  guide,  "where  do  you 
wish  to  go?" 

"You  have  the  schedule  that  we  prepared  this  morning, 
Judge,  have  you  not?"  asked  the  Major.  "Ah,  here  it  is, 
a  little  itinerary,  which  in  all  probability  will  keep  us  busy 
during  the  remainder  of  the  day." 

"Mon  Dieu!"  replied  the  Professor,  "the  programme 
you  gentlemen  have  laid  out  would  require  a  week. ' ' 

"Let  me  see,"  said  the  Major,  "we  have  the  parks,  tem- 
ples, and  mausolea  of  the  shoguns,  the  palace  grounds, 
Patriots'  Shrine,  national  museums,  Joys  and  Follies  of 
Asakusa,  Yoshiwara  the  ward  of  vice,  the  shopping  district, 
and  the  tombs  of  the  Forty-seven  Ronin  in  Spring  Hill 
Cemetery,  and  anything  else  you  may  be  pleased  to  show  us, 
honored  Professor." 

"You  are  aware,  gentlemen,"  said  the  guide,  "that  the 
places  mentioned  are  widely  separated,  and  in  order  to  see 
them  in  a  day,  only  a  casual  visit  can  be  paid." 

"You  must  understand,  Professor,"  said  the  Major, 
"that  the  Judge  and  I  have  had  the  pleasure  of  visiting 
Tokio  before  and  as  Mr.  Rhodes  is  the  only  one  to  whom  it 
will  be  necessary  to  point  out  the  places  of  interest,  but 
one-third  of  the  time  will  be  required.  Besides  we  are 
Americans  with  whom  time,  space,  or  distance  count  for 
naught." 

Without  further  delay,  and  with,  no  doubt,  a  hazy  idea 
of  the  Major's  philosophy  regarding  the  reduction  of  time, 
we  reached  the  Shiba  Park,  which  was  less  than  twenty 
minutes  distant  by  ricksha. 

"Shiba  Park,"  said  the  Professor,  "until  1877  formed 
the  grounds  of  the  great  Buddhist  Temple,  Zojoji,  the  head- 

[186] 


YOKOHAMA  TO  TOKIO 

quarters  of  the  Jodo  Sect,  which  was  adopted  by  Ieyasu 
and  taken  under  his  protection  in  1600.  This  beautiful 
temple  was  originally  founded  in  1393  and  transferred  to 
its  present  site  in  1596,  after  the  capital  was  removed  from 
Kamakura  to  Yedo.  Unfortunately  the  change  of  faith 
from  Buddhism  to  Shintoism,  which  the  temple  underwent 
in  1873,  led  to  friction  between  the  sects  in  consequence  of 
which  the  main  portion  of  the  magnificent  edifice  was  de- 
stroyed in  1874.  The  building  has  since  been  restored 
though  in  a  less  imposing  manner.  Fortunately  the  large 
red  gate  and  porch  of  the  original  temple  remain. 

"The  change  of  public  religious  faith  from  Buddhism 
to  Shintoism  in  Japan,  during  the  sixteenth  and  seven- 
teenth centuries,  has  its  prototype  in  Europe  during  the 
Reformation  when  a  large  section  of  the  continent  changed 
from  Romanism  to  Protestantism  for  political  reasons. 
The  coincidence  is  carried  still  further  by  the  fact  that 
Buddhist  temples  were  transferred  to  the  Shintoists  in  Ja- 
pan as  the  Roman  churches  to  the  Protestants  in  Europe. 
The  Americans  or  Europeans  who  visit  Japan  and  expect 
to  find  magnificent  basilicas  and  cathedrals  with  towering 
spires,  will  be  keenly  disappointed,  for  the  temples  through- 
out the  empire  are  conglomerate  and  consist  of  many  sepa- 
rate one-story  buildings  scattered  over  the  temple  grounds. 

"While  Shiba  is  a  much  smaller  park  than  the  celebrated 
Ueno,  it  is  considered  much  more  beautiful  and  is  re- 
garded as  an  ecclesiastical  paradise.  In  its  pantheon  of 
departed  great  ones  lie  six  of  the  Tokugawa  shoguns,  none 
of  whom  left  an  enduring  fame.  Hidetada,  distinguished 
on  account  of  being  the  son  of  Ieyasu,  the  founder  of  the 
line,  lies  buried  here.  In  Ueno  Park  is  the  mausoleum 
for  six  of  the  same  dynasty,  while  Nik-ko  in  all  its  grandeur 
and  sublimity  was  reserved  for  Ieyasu  himself  and  his 
grandson  Iemitsu,  the  real  founders  of  the  government 
which  endured  in  peace  and  prosperity  for  two  centuries 
and  a  half  after  its  establishment. 

'  ■  Shiba  is  practically  divided  into  three  subdivisions,  the 
[187] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

first  containing  the  mortuary  temples  and  tombs  of  the 
seventh  and  ninth  shoguns  which  we  will  enter  through 
the  Niten-mon  gate.  The  temples  of  these  monarchs 
are  celebrated  for  their  rich  carvings  and  arabesques 
and  brilliant  gold  and  red  lacquer.  The  elaborate  ceiling, 
which  is  said  to  have  been  painted  by  the  celebrated  artist 
Kano  Chickanobu,  is  one  of  the  most  magnificent  in  the 
empire.  After  the  lapse  of  several  hundred  years  we  find 
the  colors  softened  and  subdued  by  time  and  weather,  still 
we  can  conjure  up  in  our  imagination  the  blaze  of  glory 
which  shone  forth  in  all  its  richness  of  carving  and  color- 
ing on  completion  two  centuries  ago.  The  temple  itself  is 
divided  into  three  parts,  an  outer  oratory,  a  communicating 
gallery  or  corridor  and  an  inner  sanctum.  In  feudal  times 
when  the  shogun  came  to  worship  the  spirit  of  his  ancestors, 
he  alone  ascended  to  the  sanctum,  while  the  great  daimios 
ranged  themselves  next  him  in  the  corridor  below,  the  lesser 
nobles  occupying  the  oratory. 

"It  is  not  my  intention  to  attempt  a  description  of  the 
elaborate  architecture,  carvings,  and  paintings  of  the  beau- 
tiful temples  of  Tokio,  for  this  I  leave  to  more  competent 
hands.  It  is  enough  to  say  that  from  the  eighth  to  the  six- 
teenth centuries,  Japan,  like  Europe,  ran  mad  to  build  holy 
temples  and  shrines  and  to  teach  its  subjects  that  man  was 
born  into  the  world  simply  to  suffer  and  prepare  for  death. 
It  was  during  this  period  that  every  mountain  range, 
wooded  slope,  and  sequestered  dale  was  dotted  with  thou- 
sands of  temples,  monasteries,  and  convents  and  the  nation 
impoverished  with  its  armies  of  immoral  and  militant 
priests  and  dissolute  nuns.  It  was  then  that  Ieyasu,  on 
finding  his  government  threatened  by  the  armies  of  priests, 
burned  three  thousand  temples  on  the  mountain  of  Hiei- 
zan  and  put  4,000  of  the  monks  to  the  sword. 

"We  will  now  pass  through  the  O  Kara-Mon,  or  Chinese 
gate,  and  examine  the  beautifully  painted  carvings  of  flow- 
ers and  birds  which  decorate  the  panels.  From  here  we 
will  follow  the  avenue  which  leads  to  the  tomb,  ornamented 

[188] 


YOKOHAMA  TO  TOKIO 

as  you  will  notice  by  two  hundred  and  twelve  bronze  lan- 
terns, which  were  presented  by  the  daimios  as  a  mark  of 
respect  and  esteem  to  their  dead  master.  The  tomb  itself 
is  reached  by  ascending  a  stone  stairway,  where  we  come 
face  to  face  with  the  sarcophagus  which  rests  upon  an  oc- 
tagonal base  and  somewhat  resembles  a  small  pagoda.  The 
simplicity  of  the  tomb  contrasts  strongly  with  the  magnifi- 
cence of  the  temple  and  preaches  a  sermon,  by  design  or 
accident,  on  worldly  vanity. 

"Let  us  now  enter  the  second  division  of  the  pantheon 
through  the  great  gate  of  the  Temple  of  Zojoji,  containing 
the  temples  and  tombs  of  the  sixth,  twelfth,  and  fourteenth 
shoguns,  which  compare  favorably  with  those  previously 
visited.  Behind  the  principal  temple  stands  a  small,  richly 
decorated  building,  the  gogoku-den,  containing  the  treas- 
ures and  arms  of  the  dead  rulers.  Their  images  clad  in 
armor  are  seated  on  each  side  of  the  altar,  while  the  per- 
sonal objects  belonging  to  them,  such  as  bronze  cups,  pot- 
tery, coin,  reliquaries  and  arms,  are  ranged  around  the 
room  on  shelves. 

"We  reach  the  third  division  of  the  group  in  visiting 
the  temple  of  the  consorts  of  four  of  the  shoguns  who  are 
interred  in  an  inclosure  beyond.  In  the  extreme  corner 
you  will  see  the  tomb  of  a  concubine  of  the  fifth  shogun. 
The  mortuary  temple  and  tomb  of  Hidetada,  the  son  of 
Ieyasu,  is  located  here.  The  large  columns  of  lacquered 
wood,  the  gold-lacquered  pillars  and  heavy  beams,  together 
with  the  relative  height  of  the  interior,  make  the  building 
strangely  imposing.  On  a  stand  within  rests  the  war-drum 
of  the  great  Ieyasu. 

"From  here  we  ascend  to  the  top  of  the  hill  behind  the 
tomb  where  a  magnificent  view  of  the  bay  may  be  obtained, 
and  from  there  descend  to  the  little  temple  of  Benten  which 
is  located  below  on  a  small  islet,  the  waters  around  which 
are  covered  with  the  pads  of  the  lotus  plant.  Benten  is  one 
of  the  seven  goddesses  of  good  luck,  the  deity  who  married 
the  child-devouring  dragon  of  Enoshima.    Being  a  female 

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ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

goddess  and  interested  in  the  fortunes  of  the  fair  sex,  the 
temple  receives  a  large  number  of  worshippers  whose  ambi- 
tion in  life  is  to  secure  a  mate. 

"In  front  of  the  temple  of  the  benign  goddess  stands  a 
shrine  presided  over  by  Tema  who  holds  the  keys  of  Hades. 
Occasionally  the  noise  and  din  which  one  hears  in  passing 
result  from  the  howls  and  the  drum-beating  of  the  fanatical 
priests,  who  at  that  particular  time  have  removed  the  lid 
of  the  infernal  regions  to  give  the  occupants  a  whiff  of 
fresh  air. 

"Beyond  the  valley  on  the  opposite  hill  you  will  see  the 
Koyokwan  or  the  Maple  Club,  noted  for  its  excellent  Jap- 
anese dinners  and  attractive  geisha  girls,  and  a  little  far- 
ther on  is  the  English  church  of  St.  Andrew." 


[190] 


CHAPTER  XXI 

SIGHT-SEEING  IN  OLD  YEDO 

Hibiya,  the  Park  op  Recreation  —  Baseball,  Tennis, 
and  Football  —  Kudan  Hill  and  the  Patriot's 
Shrine  —  Museum  of  Arms  —  The  Emperor's  Palace 
—  Simple  Lope  op  the  Mikado  —  The  House  of  Par- 
liament—  University  and  Educational  Institutions 
op  Japan  —  Ueno  Park  and  Public  Museum  — 
Asakusa  Park,  the  Bowery  of  Tokio  —  The  Yoshi- 
wara,  the  Palace  of  Vice  —  Spring  Hill  Cemetery 
and  the  Forty-seven  Ronin. 

ON  reaching  Shiba  Park  we  dismissed  our  rickshas  and 
concluded  to  trust  to  the  transportation  afforded  by 
the  street  cars  which  are  more  rapid  and  less  expensive. 

From  Shiba  we  were  conducted  to  Hibiya  Park,  which 
is  one  of  the  most  recent  additions  to  the  park  system  of 
the  city  and  is  largely  used  for  athletic  sports,  among  which 
are  baseball,  tennis,  and  football.  Baseball  has  taken  a 
strong  hold  among  the  Japanese  youth,  and  wherever  you 
go  you  will  find  a  game  in  progress  with  an  interested 
crowd  of  rooters.  Singular  as  it  may  appear,  the  English 
expressions  are  used,  and  it  is  not  uncommon  to  hear  in  the 
heart  of  Japan  "Strike  Three,"  "Foul  Ball,"  and  "Batter 
Out,"  or  "Love  Fifteen,"  "Love  Forty,"  or  "Game," 
while  playing  baseball  or  tennis.  Besides  the  athletic 
grounds,  Hibiya  contains  the  House  of  Parliament,  Naval 
and  Judicial  Departments,  and  Courts  of  Justice.  Beyond 
are  located  the  Russian  and  Chinese  legations  and  the  For- 
eign Office.     This  neighborhood  contains  the  palaces  of  the 

[191] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

nobles  and  the  homes  of  the  wealthy  and  the  most  fashion- 
able element  of  the  gay  capital. 

A  short  way  beyond  the  English  embassy  on  the  Kudan 
Hill  stands  the  Patriot's  Shrine  or  the  Shohonsha,  con- 
structed in  1865  in  honor  of  the  illustrious  dead  who  had 
fallen  in  defence  of  the  country  during  previous  wars  in 
the  cause  of  the  Mikado.  The  Kudan  Shrine,  as  it  is  popu- 
larly called  by  the  English-speaking  people,  stands  on  a 
commanding  elevation  within  spacious  grounds  and  affords 
a  fine  view  of  the  city.  A  stone  pavement,  lined  with  hand- 
some lanterns  of  stone  and  bronze,  leads  up  to  the  little 
shrine,  which  is  of  the  simplest  architecture  and  character- 
istic of  Shinto  temples.  During  May  and  November  of 
each  year  festivals  lasting  three  days  are  held  on  Kudan 
Hill  in  commemoration  of  the  national  dead  and  include 
games  resembling  the  funereal  sports  of  ancient  Home. 

To  the  right  of  the  temple  stands  the  Museum  of  Arms, 
well  worthy  of  a  visit ;  it  contains  many  specimens  of  an- 
cient and  modern  arms.  Here  we  see  the  sword,  spear, 
and  matchlock  of  the  ancient  samurai,  old  bronze  cannon 
from  Korea  and  China,  trophies  of  the  war  with  China  and 
Russia,  portraits  of  great  military  and  naval  heroes,  among 
which  are  private  soldiers  and  sailors.  Japan  makes  no  dis- 
tinction in  honoring  her  illustrious  dead,  whether  noble 
or  plebeian,  general  or  private.  What  a  lesson  in  patriotism 
and  amor  patriae!  Do  you  wonder,  my  friend,  that  the 
chivalrous  Japs  threw  themselves  upon  the  serried  ranks 
of  the  Russian  Bear,  or  never  faltered  when  ordered 
into  the  very  jaws  of  death  on  203  Metre  Hill  ? 

The  Japanese  nation  inspires  patriotism  among  its  peo- 
ple from  the  cradle  to  the  grave.  In  the  public  grounds 
and  parks,  in  front  of  the  temples,  colleges,  and  school 
houses,  in  every  sequestered  corner  of  the  land,  from  Naga- 
saki to  Hakodate,  you  will  find  trophies  from  the  many  vic- 
torious wars,  mounted  on  pedestals  with  appropriate  in- 
scriptions announcing  the  courage  and  bravery  of  her  sons. 
You  will  see  troupes  of  scholars  from  colleges,  academies, 

[192] 


SIGHT-SEEING  IN  OLD  YEDO 

and  schools,  large  and  small,  male  and  female,  headed  by 
their  masters,  filing  through  the  national  parks  and  muse- 
ums in  the  large  cities,  at  Tokio,  Kioto,  Nara,  and  Nik-ko, 
everywhere  at  government  expense,  in  order  that  they  may 
understand  the  greatness  of  their  country  and  what  their 
ancestors  have  done.  On  the  grounds  of  the  Kudan  Hill 
statues  to  many  of  the  distinguished  defenders  of  the  coun- 
try have  been  erected.  A  handsome  bronze  immortalizes 
the  great  patriot  Omura  Hyobu  Tayu,  as  well  as  General 
Kawakwan,  and  there  is  a  superb  monument  to  the  gallant 
men  who  fell  during  the  Satsuma  Kebellion. 

"We  will  now  visit  the  Emperor's  palace,  which  is  one 
of  the  most  interesting  sights  of  Tokio  and  lies  within  ex- 
tensive grounds  in  the  heart  of  the  city,  surrounded  by 
moats  and  walls  built  in  the  true  Cyclopean  style  of  the 
sixteenth  century. 

"Yedo,"  said  the  Professor,  "was  but  a  mere  fishing  vil- 
lage belonging  to  the  fief  of  a  small  daimio,  Ola  Dokwan, 
when  seized  by  Ieyasu  in  1595.  On  the  death  of  Nobun- 
aga,  Hideyoshi,  who  had  phenomenally  arisen  to  the  head 
of  the  government,  recognized  Yedo  as  a  strategic  point 
and  directed  Ieyasu  to  seize  it  and  establish  the  shogunate 
there.  Tokio,  as  it  is  now  called,  has  remained  ever  since 
the  capital  of  the  ruling  power  of  the  Empire,  for  on  the 
abdication  of  the  last  shogun  in  1868,  Musuhito,  the  present 
Mikado-Emperor,  removed  his  throne  from  Kioto." 

The  palace  stands  within  a  double  line  of  moats  which 
are  connected  by  a  vast  network  of  canals  traversing  the 
city  and  joined  to  the  Sumida  River,  which,  like  the  Thames, 
cuts  the  great  capital  in  twain.  The  Imperial  Residence 
is  built  in  the  style  of  architecture  in  vogue  for  many  -cen- 
turies, an  irregular  one-story  building,  containing  many 
apartments  elegantly  furnished  and  artistically  decorated. 
In  keeping  with  the  Western  ideas,  which  have  been  courted 
by  the  Emperor,  the  palace  is  filled  with  handsome  Oriental 
rugs,  rich  hangings,  and  European  furniture.  Behind  the 
building  are  beautiful  gardens  laid  out  centuries  ago  dur- 
13  [  193  ] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

ing  the  reign  of  Iemitsu,  the  grandson  of  Ieyasu,  at  the 
time  ruling  shogun. 

Here  in  the  palace  lives  the  Mikado,  who  for  the  first 
time  in  700  years  has  ruled  his  people.  Previous  to  this 
time  he  was  considered  too  sacred  to  participate  in  the  af- 
fairs of  men.  So  sacred  and  divine  was  he  held  until  his 
arrival  in  Tokio,  that  no  one  was  allowed  to  see  his  face, 
even  during  audiences  with  the  ambassadors  from  the  sho- 
gun 's  capital  or  the  holy  processions  of  priests,  who  suppli- 
cated at  his  throne.  What  a  revolution  has  occurred  in  Ja- 
pan 's  social  fabric  during  two  short  generations,  for  now  we 
see  the  once  holy  Mikado  holding  public  receptions  like 
other  monarchs  and  mixing  with  the  public  on  the  streets 
with  the  simplicity  of  a  Swedish  king.  Everything  has 
been  transformed  in  Dai-Nippon  since  the  coming  of 
America's  fleet  in  1853  which  bore  the  olive  branch  of 
peace. 

The  despotic  empire  of  a  dictatorial  autocrat  has  given 
way  to  the  complacent  ruler  of  a  constitutional  government 
modelled  on  the  plan  of  Germany's  Imperial  Diet. 

The  Parliament  is  composed  of  a  House  of  Peers  and 
House  of  Representatives,  the  former  occupying  their  seats 
through  hereditary  prerogative,  the  latter  are  elected  by 
the  people.  The  diet  is  convened  yearly  by  the  emperor 
and  presided  over  by  a  president  or  vice-president  nomi- 
nated by  him. 

With  the  constitutional  government  has  also  come  a  rev- 
olution in  the  educational  system  of  the  country.  The  old 
regime  under  the  Buddhist  priests  has  crumbled  away  and 
the  methods  of  the  Western  world  introduced.  The  Uni- 
versity of  Tokio  includes  six  faculties :  Law,  Medicine,  En- 
gineering, Literature,  Science,  and  Agriculture,  and  among 
its  graduates  are  some  of  the  most  distinguished  men  of 
the  world,  military  and  scientific.  Among  the  graduates 
of  medicine  are  Kitasato,  Shiga,  and  Nogouchi,  who  have 
contributed  their  full  meed  of  work  to  the  wonderful  ad- 
vancement made  in  the  study  of  microbic  diseases  and 

[194] 


SIGHT-SEEING  IN  OLD  YEDO 

their  prevention.  A  second  university  has  been  established 
in  Kioto. 

"There  are  many  educational  institutions  in  Japan," 
said  the  Professor,  "among  which  may  be  mentioned  the 
Higher  Normal  School  for  young  men  and  women,  fifty- 
seven  normal  schools,  a  Higher  Commercial  School,  a  For- 
eign Language  School,  various  military  and  naval  acade- 
mies, a  School  of  Navigation,  a  School  of  Fine  Arts,  the 
Tokio  Musical  Academy,  schools  for  the  deaf  and  dumb, 
.an  agricultural  college  at  Sapporo  and  six  high  schools  lo- 
cated in  various  provinces.  Besides  the  higher  institutions 
of  education,  the  government  supports  27,000  public  schools 
with  a  staff  of  120,000  teachers  and  an  attendance  of  6,000,- 
000  pupils.  There  are  300  middle  schools  with  5,000 
teachers  and  150,000  pupils,  besides  hundreds  of  kinder- 
gartens, which  are  well  patronized  by  hundreds  of  thou- 
sands of  uniformed  tots  imbibing  ideas  of  patriotism  and 
good  citizenship.  In  addition  to  all  these  there  are  many 
private  colleges  and  schools  for  both  sexes,  among  which 
should  be  mentioned  the  great  educational  establishment 
of  Fukuzawa  Yukichi,  who  refused  a  peerage  like  Glad- 
stone and  Bright  because  he  considered  the  man  superior 
to  the  position. 

"Urbanity,  politeness,  and  courtesy  are  instilled  into 
the  mind  of  every  child  from  infancy,  while  filial  love,  re- 
spect, and  obedience  become  the  basis  of  their  moral  code. 
There  is  nothing  more  reprehensible  among  the  Japanese 
children  than  disobedience  to  parents  and  disrespect  of  the 
old.  Besides  the  mental  and  moral,  physical  training  is 
by  no  means  neglected ;  from  the  juvenile  squad  of  the  kin- 
dergarten to  the  university  senior,  drills  and  calisthenic 
exercises  are  required.  Patriotism  and  the  military  spirit 
appear  everywhere  among  the  nation  as  a  whole,  regard- 
less of  age,  condition,  or  sex,  and  a  desire  to  emulate  the 
West  in  ways  of  acting  and  thinking. 

"When  we  contrast  the  results  attained  by  Japan  under 
a  liberal  and  unrestricted  system  of  education  and  public 

[195] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

thought  with  that-of  poor  old  benighted  Spain  and  her  fos- 
ter children,  the  Spanish  colonies,  which  were  educated  un- 
der the  rigid  censorship  of  mediaeval  monasticism,  one  might 
readily  conceive  that  the  sad  experiences  connected  with 
the  expulsion  of  the  Catholic  friars  from  Japan  in  the 
seventeenth  century,  were  a  blessing  in  disguise." 

We  had  devoted  as  much  of  our  day  to  the  palace  and 
government  grounds  as  we  could  spare,  so  our  guide  in- 
formed us  that  we  must  pass  on  to  Ueno  Park  if  we  desired 
to  carry  out  our  programme  for  the  day.  Ueno,  which  lies 
on  the  north  side  of  the  city  and  is  reached  by  the  electric 
cars,  is  the  largest  park  in  the  city  and  one  of  the  most 
interesting. 

"Previous  to  the  establishment  of  the  capital  in  Tokio," 
said  the  Professor,  "the  property  belonged  to  a  private 
family,  but  was  secured  by  Iemitsu,  who  planned  to  erect 
a  number  of  temples  on  the  grounds  which  would  eclipse 
in  splendor  all  others  in  the  Empire.  The  main  temple, 
which  had  always  been  presided  over  by  a  high  priest  who 
was  a  son  of  the  Mikado,  was  destroyed  by  fire  in  1868 
during  the  war  between  the  shogun  and  Mikado." 

On  ascending  the  hill  from  the  street  car  the  visitor 
reaches  a  high  plateau  from  which  an  excellent  view  of  the 
city  is  obtained,  especially  of  Asakusa  Park  with  its  Twelve 
Storied  Tower.  Among  the  notable  sights  connected  with 
this  park  is  the  beautiful  avenue  of  cherry-trees,  which  is  a 
great  drawing-card  during  the  season  of  blossom.  At  that 
time  thousands  repair  to  the  park  and  spend  the  day  with 
their  families,  enjoying  the  exquisite  pink  clouds  above, 
which  later  form  a  carpet  beneath  the  trees  of  the  most  del- 
icate shade. 

Ueno  is  celebrated  for  its  Public  Museum  which  con- 
tains departments  of  natural  history,  archaeology,  art, 
industry,  history  and  fine  arts,  and  in  every  sense  is  an 
institution  worthy  of  study  and  inspection.  In  the  depart- 
ment of  natural  history  fine  specimens  of  the  long-tailed 
cocks  of  Tosa  may  be  seen,  several  of  which  parade  a  caudal 

[196] 


SIGHT-SEEING  IN  OLD  YEDO 

appendage  over  fourteen  feet  long.  The  historical  and 
archaeological  departments  contain  a  fine  display  of  ancient 
armor,  arms,  and  domestic  instruments  and  utensils.  Curi- 
ous and  ancient  gilded  bullock  carts  and  draped  palanquins 
for  the  use  of  shoguns,  and  thrones  with  rich  hangings 
such  as  were  used  by  the  Mikados  before  their  subjects 
could  with  safety  gaze  upon  their  countenances,  are  also  on 
exhibition,  besides  the  ' '  Trampling  Board, ' '  with  the  figure 
of  Christ  on  the  cross,  used  as  a  test  during  the  persecu- 
tions of  the  Catholics. 

Besides  the  temples,  museums,  and  avenues  of  trees, 
Ueno  contains  the  mausolea  of  six  of  the  Tokugawa  sho- 
guns, confined  to  an  inclosure  by  themselves.  The  two 
mortuary  temples  resemble  those  in  Shiba  Park,  though 
possibly  not  so  magnificent  in  design.  The  prevailing 
color  of  these  temples  is  red,  which  seems  to  have  been  a 
favorite  hue  with  the  Buddhist  priests.  Another  temple 
in  these  grounds  contains  the  tombs  of  eight  mothers  of  the 
Mikados,  none  of  whom  were  legal  wives. 

"The  system  of  concubinage,"  said  the  Professor,  "was 
an  ancient  custom  with  the  Japanese  and  illegitimacy  was 
scarcely  recognized.  While  it  is  not  generally  known,  it  is 
a  fact  that  the  present  Crown  Prince  is  not  the  offspring 
from  the  ruling  Empress. ' ' 

A  fine  restaurant  has  been  established  in  the  park 
grounds,  the  Seiyoken,  which  is  delightfully  located  and 
affords  an  excellent  view  of  the  city.  From  Ueno  we  pro- 
ceeded by  train  to  Asakusa,  an  environment  devoted  both 
to  religion  and  pleasure  and  patronized  by  the  hoi  polloi 
of  the  city. 

"The  great  Buddhist  temple,"  said  the  Professor,  "which 
is  known  as  the  Higashi  Hongwangi  built  in  1657,  is  lo- 
cated here  and  protected  by  iron  netting  to  prevent  de- 
struction by  fires  which  were  so  common  in  Tokio,  owing 
to  the  inflammable  character  of  the  houses,  that  they  were 
known  as  'The  Flowers  of  Yedo.'  The  carvings  on  the 
porch  are  exceedingly  handsome,  representing  chrysanthe- 

[197] 


ON  LEAVE   IN  JAPAN 

mum  and  peony  flowers  with  their  leaves.  The  temple, 
as  you  see,  is  built  on  a  gigantic  scale,  for  the  floor  of  the 
nave  alone  requires  one  hundred  and  forty  mats.  On  the 
twenty-first  and  twenty-eighth  of  November  imposing 
ceremonies  are  conducted  here  in  honor  of  the  founder  of 
the  Monto  sect.  On  this  occasion  the  male  worshippers  ap- 
pear in  a  singular  costume,  called  'Kata-Ginu,'  and  the 
females  with  a  curious-looking  headdress,  called  'Horn- 
Hiders.'  Unfortunately  the  white  ants  which  are  so  de- 
structive in  the  Philippines  and  Far  East  have  nearly 
honeycombed  the  timbers  of  the  entire  edifice  and  it  is  liable 
at  any  time  to  collapse. 

"The  temple  dedicated  to  the  Goddess  Kwannon  located 
in  Asakusa  is  also  worthy  of  a  visit;  according  to  tradi- 
tion it  was  established  in  553  a.d.,  during  the  reign  of  the 
Empress  Suiko.  In  1180  Yoritomo  endowed  it  with 
eighty  acres  of  land,  which  was  confiscated  when  Ieyasu 
founded  his  capital  in  Tokio.  This  was  done  because  he 
found  that  the  place  had  gone  to  ruin  and  the  priests  were 
living  in  idleness  and  immorality," 

Professor  B.  H.  Chamberlain  of  Tokio  says:  "On  no  ac- 
count should  a  visit  to  this  temple  and  surrounding  grounds 
be  omitted  for  it  is  a  great  holiday  resort  of  the  middle 
and  lower  classes  and  nothing  is  more  striking  than  the 
juxtaposition  of  piety  and  pleasure,  of  gorgeous  altars  and 
grotesque  ex-votos,  of  dainty  costumes  and  dingy  idols,  the 
clatter  of  clogs,  cocks,  and  hens  strutting  about  among 
worshippers,  children  playing,  soldiers  smoking,  believers 
chaffering  with  dealers  of  charms,  ancient  art,  modern  ad- 
vertisements ;  in  full  a  spectacle  than  which  surely  nothing 
more  motley  was  ever  witnessed  within  the  precincts  of  a 
religious  edifice." 

Across  the  way  hangs  the  large  bell  whose  sonorous 
sounds  are  heard  far  and  near.  Among  the  attractions 
here  is  the  realistic  panorama  of  the  Battle  of  Honnoji 
which  occurred  in  1582,  tragically  painted  by  Horin  Gos- 

[198] 


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SIGHT-SEEING  IN  OLD  YEDO 

eda.  Asakusa  is  the  Bowery  of  Tokio,  the  quaintest  and 
liveliest  place  in  the  city. 

On  the  extreme  northern  border  of  the  city  is  located 
the  most  celebrated  palace  of  vice  in  the  world,  the  Yosh- 
iwara,  a  city  occupied  by  3,000  Jezebels,  who  appear  nightly 
in  open,  gilded  reception  rooms,  to  entice  the  dissolute 
youth  of  the  city  and  ennuied  married  men  who  find  life 
at  home,  with  stupid  wives,  insufferably  dull. 

"For  several  centuries  in  Japan,"  said  the  Professor, 
* '  the  law  recognized  the  great  Social  Evil,  which  had  spread 
to  every  inn,  tavern,  and  tea-house  in  the  Empire.  So 
common  had  the  practice  of  prostitution  become  that  dis- 
solute courtesans,  with  mat  in  hand,  made  propositions 
to  the  most  respectable  citizens  on  the  public  highways. 
In  order  to  remedy  the  demoralizing  situation  Iemitsu  set 
aside  the  present  site  of  the  Yoshiwara,  which  was  far 
beyond  the  city  limits  at  the  time  and  located  in  a  reedy 
marsh  from  which  it  took  its  name.  Since  then  the  dis- 
trict has  grown  to  be  a  city  of  itself,  with  palatial  resi- 
dences two  and  three  stories  high  furnished  in  the  most  gor- 
geous style. 

"The  courtesans  are  divided  by  the  police  regulations 
into  four  classes,  which  are  indicated  by  the  outside  ap- 
pearance of  the  dwellings  and  the  expenditure  made  on 
the  toilets  of  the  inmates.  The  system  of  recruitment  is 
made  by  civil  contracts,  in  which  the  young  women,  none 
of  whom  are  allowed  under  eighteen  years  of  age,  agree 
to  remain  for  the  period  of  three  years,  although  according 
to  modern  laws  they  can  leave  at  will.  On  entering  the 
Yoshiwara,  where  they  are  usually  conducted  by  a  relative 
or  friend,  from  fifty  to  a  hundred  yen  are  advanced  to 
bind  the  bargain  and  later  a  sum  sufficient  to  purchase  a 
suitable  wardrobe,  the  latter  depending  upon  the  class  of 
courtesanship  the  novitiate  elects  to  enter." 

The  women  found  in  the  Yoshiwara,  like  courtesans  else- 
where all  over  the  wide,  wide  world,  belong  to  the  lowest 

[199] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

classes  and  few  among  them  are  found  refined  or  educated, 
in  spite  of  the  many  romantic  stories  told  of  the  daughters 
of  noble  families  who  entered  a  life  of  shame  to  save  their 
parents  from  financial  ruin,  or  to  raise  sufficient  money 
to  send  an  aspiring  brother  to  the  university.  It  is  true 
that  in  former  times  they  were  held  as  slaves  as  long  as 
profitable  to  the  proprietors,  after  which  they  gravitated 
to  the  purlieus  of  social  degradation  or  were  found  floating 
on  the  merciful  bosom  of  the  Sumida. 

During  the  evening  hours,  with  red  lights  streaming 
from  a  thousand  lanterns  along  the  facade  of  the  houses, 
the  painted  courtesans  in  gorgeous  reception  rooms,  open 
to  the  street,  save  for  a  grill  of  iron,  present  a  brilliant 
and  alluring  picture  to  the  spectator.  It  is  at  the  dusky 
hour  of  eve  that  hundreds  of  the  youths  of  the  city,  and 
frequently  men  with  families,  hie  themselves  to  the  Yoshi- 
wara  to  have  a  friendly  chat  with  their  friends  or  enjoy 
the  brilliant  panorama  spread  before  them.  Few  foreign- 
ers who  reach  Tokio  fail  to  visit  this  celebrated  City  of 
Vice,  regardless  of  condition  or  sex,  even  beardless  youths 
and  undeveloped  girls.  During  our  visit  an  American 
youth  scarcely  twenty  with  two  girls,  apparently  tourists 
from  the  United  States,  were  observed  among  the  curious 
crowd. 

The  afternoon  was  passing  rapidly  away  though  we  had 
completed  our  programme  for  the  day,  except  the  visit  to 
Sengakuji  where  is  located  the  mortuary  temple  and  tombs 
of  the  Forty-seven  Ronin  so  celebrated  in  the  song  and  ro- 
mances of  Dai-Nippon. 

"It  is  getting  late,  Professor,"  said  the  Major,  as  we 
emerged  from  the  Yoshiwara,  "and  we  are  going  to  ex- 
cuse you  for  the  remainder  of  the  day.  I  am  well  ac- 
quainted with  the  Sengakuji  and  will  escort  the  party 
there  myself,  especially  as  it  lies  a  mile  beyond  Shiba 
Park  and  on  the  way  back  to  Yokohama." 

It  was  not  long  before  we  reached  the  celebrated  cemetery 
of  Spring  Hill,  as  translated  in  English,  which  rests  upon 

[200] 


SIGHT-SEEING  IN  OLD  YEDO 

an  elevation  overlooking  the  bay.  In  the  sacred  square, 
ranged  in  quadrangular  form,  stood  the  headstones  of 
this  immortal  band  who  sacrificed  their  lives  three  hun- 
dred years  ago  to  avenge  their  lord  and  master,  who  after 
the  most  unprovoked  insult,  was  ordered  to  commit  hara- 
kiri,  because  he  dared  defend  his  honor  in  the  palace  of 
the  shogun. 

In  the  corner  of  the  square  stood  the  tomb  of  Sir  Big 
Rock,  the  captain  of  the  immortal  band,  and  but  a  few 
yards  away,  the  tomb  of  the  unfortunate  lord.  Around 
them  both,  like  soldiers  waiting  the  final  roll-call,  ranged 
the  tombs  of  the  forty-six  ronin,  who  belonged  to  the  rank 
and  file.  A  short  distance  away  stood  the  Kauranyo,  or 
storehouse,  in  which  are  kept  to  this  day  the  swords,  the 
armor,  and  clothing  of  the  ronin,  and  near  by  is  the  well 
with  the  waters  of  which  they  washed  the  bloody  head  of 
Sir  Kira,  their  master's  foe,  before  placing  it  upon  his 
tomb. 


[201] 


CHAPTER  XXII 

THE  STORY  OF  THE  FORTY-SEVEN  RONIN 

The  Dual  Government  —  Lords  Kira,  Ako,  and  Sama  — 
The  Royal  Envoy  from  Kioto  —  Lord  Kira's  Insult 

—  Lord  Ako's  Attack  —  Death  of  Lord  Ako  — 
Petition  to  the  Shogun  —  The  Ronin's  Resolve  — 

—  Three  Weary  Years  of  Waiting  —  The  Attack  on 
Lord  Kira's  Castle  and  His  Death  —  Ceremonies  at 
Spring  Hill  Cemetery  —  Silence  and  Death  of  the 
Ronin. 

THE  lingering  blush  of  the  golden  sun  was  fading  into 
the  gray  twilight  of  night  as  we  reached  the  foot  of 
the  cemetery  en  route  to  Yokohama. 

"You  have  seen  the  tombs  of  the  famous  Forty-seven 
Ronin,' '  said  the  Major,  "and  if  agreeable  I  will  give  you 
a  brief  outline  of  this  remarkable  story,  which  involves  a 
principle  very  dear  to  the  hearts  of  the  nation. 

"From  the  year  1600  until  1868  Japan,"  said  the  Ma- 
jor, "was  under  the  control  of  a  dual  government  and  pos- 
sessed two  capitals.  One  was  located  in  Kioto,  and  was 
occupied  by  the  sacred  Mikado  who  had  little  or  nothing 
to  do  with  the  actual  control  of  public  affairs,  while  the 
other  was  established  at  Yedo,  now  Tokio,  and  was  ruled 
by  the  powerful  Tokugawa  shoguns  who  managed  the  af- 
fairs of  the  government  with  the  autocratic  power  of  a 
Czar,  although  he  recognized  the  Mikado  as  the  hereditary 
Emperor  and  spiritual  head  of  the  Empire. 

"While  the  shogun  paid  no  attention  to  the  Mikado,  as 
far  as  the  affairs  of  government  were  concerned,  he  ob- 
served with  great  rigor  the  social  etiquette  of  his  sov- 

[202] 


STORY  OF  FORTY-SEVEN  RONIN 

ereign  's  court,  and  sent  with  marked  regularity  the  annual 
embassy  of  nobles  bearing  rich  presents  and  protestations 
of  continued  loyalty.  Likewise  the  Mikado  sent  an  em- 
bassy of  nobles  and  priests  to  the  shogun's  court  once 
yearly  which  was  received  with  the  pomp  and  ceremony 
due  the  Mikado's  representatives.  During  these  visits  the 
most  distinguished  and  wealthy  daimios  in  the  empire  were 
ordered  to  assist  at  the  reception  to  the  embassy  and  to  par- 
ticipate in  the  entertainments  given  in  the  gay  capital  of 
the  East,  as  Yedo  was  called  in  contradistinction  to  Kioto 
which  was  known  as  the  capital  of  the  "West. 

"It  was  early  in  November,  1698,  on  the  announcement 
of  the  early  arrival  of  the  embassy  from  Kioto,  that  Lord 
Kira,  master  of  ceremonies  for  the  shogun,  sent  word  to 
Lords  Ako  and  Sama,  two  powerful  daimios,  who  were 
visiting  Tokio  at  the  time,  to  present  themselves  at  the 
palace  in  order  to  receive  instructions  relative  to  the  cere- 
monies to  be  observed  on  the  arrival  of  the  Imperial  Envoy. 
Sir  Kira  was  not  a  nobleman  by  birth  and  lacked  many  of 
the  principles  which  mark  the  man  of  breeding.  In  addi- 
tion to  his  innate  coarseness  he  was  corrupt,  greedy,  and  in- 
solent in  the  discharge  of  his  duties. 

"Lord  Sama's  administrator  was  aware  of  Sir  Kira's 
nature  and  sent  him  handsome  presents  in  order  to  insure 
good  treatment  for  his  lord  and  master.  Lord  Ako's 
administrator  had  likewise  forwarded  handsome  gifts,  but 
unfortunately  the  agents  had  failed  to  deliver  them.  It 
will  be  understood  that  neither  of  the  courtiers  ordered 
to  assist  in  the  reception  were  aware  that  the  bribes  had 
been  sent,  nor  did  they  understand  the  venal  nature  of  the 
insolent  master  of  ceremonies  as  well  as  their  trusted 
servants  did. 

"Not  having  received  the  consideration  from  Lord  Ako 
to  which  he  felt  entitled,  Sir  Kira  decided  to  humiliate  the 
proud  nobleman  in  every  way  possible  during  the  prepara- 
tory instruction  for  the  reception.  Lord  Ako,  who  was  re- 
strained by  a  sense  of  duty  as  well  as  breeding  bore  the  in- 

[203] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

suits  with  patience  as  long  as  possible.  On  the  morning 
the  embassy  was  expected  from  Kioto  the  two  noblemen 
proceeded  to  the  castle  to  receive  their  final  instruction. 
After  complimenting  Lord  Sama  for  his  aptness,  Sir  Kira 
turned  to  Ako  and  said  '  Here,  my  lord,  tie  the  string  of  my 
sock  which  has  become  loosened.' 

"Although  Lord  Ako's  patience  was  nearly  exhausted 
he  complied  with  the  insulting  request.  Later  Lord  Sama 
was  excused  from  further  attendance  but  Lord  Ako  was 
informed  that  he  was  not  only  clumsy  but  would  be  taken 
for  a  country  boor  on  account  of  his  ignorance  and  bad 
manners.  At  this  last  provocation  the  insulted  lord  could 
no  longer  restrain  himself,  so  drawing  his  sword  he  cried, 
'Defend  yourself,  Lord  Kira,  for  I  will  no  longer  submit 
to  such  unjust  treatment.'  Instead  of  defending  himself 
Sir  Kira,  craven  that  he  was,  trembled  with  fear  and  fled, 
but  not  before  he  had  received  a  blow  on  his  brow,  the  scar 
from  which  remained  until  his  death. 

"Shortly  afterwards  an  official  of  the  shogun  arrived 
on  the  scene  and  ordered  Lord  Ako  to  retire  to  his  resi- 
dence in  arrest.  Two  weeks  later  he  received  an  order 
from  the  Council  of  Elders  to  commit  hara-kiri,  and,  at 
the  same  time,  an  announcement  of  the  extinction  of  his 
family  and  confiscation  of  his  estates. 

"The  order  had  been  anticipated  by  Lord  Ako,  who  in 
the  meanwhile  had  attended  to  his  affairs  and  made  every 
preparation  for  the  ordeal.  At  once  he  summoned  two  of 
his  most  trusted  samurai,  who  were  to  act  as  seconds,  and 
bade  them  remove  the  screens  from  a  recess  in  the  hall 
where  the  ceremony  was  to  be  enacted.  Advancing  to  the 
place  of  execution  and  placing  himself  on  the  mats  pro- 
vided for  the  occasion,  Lord  Ako  removed  his  outer  gar- 
ments, which  revealed  the  shiromuka,  the  white  suit  worn 
during  the  ordeal. 

"Before  him  sat  the  two  commissioners  from  the  shogun, 
cold  and  stern,  and  behind  him  his  faithful  samurai  who 
were  to  perform  the  awful  duty  of  seconds.     Addressing 

[204] 


STORY  OF  FORTY-SEVEN  RONIN 

the  commissioners  Lord  Ako  said,  'With  your  permission 
I  will  give  my  final  instruction  to  my  councillors.'  He 
then  bade  one  of  them  approach  and  pointing  to  a  white 
pine  box  whispered  into  his  ear  a  message  and  at  the  same 
time  handed  him  a  letter.  The  scene  was  most  impressive 
as  Lord  Ako  ceased  to  speak.  He  gazed  through  the  open 
screen  at  the  beautiful  world  he  so  soon  would  leave,  then 
grasped  the  knife  handed  him  by  one  of  the  seconds  and 
bowed  his  head.  That  afternoon  a  mournful  funeral  pro- 
cession wended  its  way  to  the  cemetery  of  Spring  Hill  Tem- 
ple, where  rests  to-day  all  that  was  mortal  of  the  chival- 
rous and  noble  Lord  of  Ako. 

"Shintoism,  the  religion  of  the  Land  of  the  Rising  Sun, 
taught  that  loyalty  to  the  sovereign,  reverence  for  ances- 
tral memory,  and  filial  piety  were  the  prime  tenets  by 
which  one's  life  should  be  guided  and  eternal  honor  and 
existence  secured.  The  golden  words  of  the  ancients  had 
taught  that  'when  the  master  is  insulted  it  is  for  the  serv- 
ant to  die.'  Confucius  had  also  said,  'Thou  shalt  not  live 
under  the  same  heaven  with  the  enemy  of  thy  master  or 
parent. ' 

"As  may  be  imagined  great  consternation  was  felt  by 
the  band  of  ronin  when  they  learned  of  their  master's 
death,  for  they  were  not  only  deprived  of  a  chief  but  of 
the  annual  allowances  paid  for  their  services.  They  felt 
themselves  grossly  wronged,  for  had  their  lord  not  been  in- 
sulted, humbled,  and  ordered  to  commit  hara-kiri  for  an 
act  done  in  defence  of  his  honor?  They  knew  full  well 
that  the  laws  of  the  country  demanded  their  master 's  death, 
because  he  had  unlawfully  unsheathed  his  sword  in  the 
castle  of  the  shogun.  They  expected,  however,  that  Lord 
Kira  would  be  punished  for  his  conduct,  but  were  dismayed 
to  find  that  beyond  a  temporary  suspension  from  office,  no 
punishment  was  meted  out  to  the  insolent  lord. 

"The  injury  rankled  in  the  hearts  of  the  clansmen,  so 
they  decided  to  avenge  their  master's  death,  though  in  so 
doing  they  would  sacrifice  their  own  lives.     They  knew  full 

[205] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

well  that  the  spirit  of  their  lord  would  wander  restless 
upon  the  face  of  the  earth  until  he  had  been  avenged  and 
that  the  unhappy  widow  could  never  die  content  until  Sir 
Kira  had  paid  the  penalty  for  his  infamy.  Shortly  after 
Lord  Ako's  death  the  clansmen  were  called  to  the  castle 
by  the  chief  councillor  to  hear  their  dying  master's  letter 
read,  which  contained  nothing  save  the  words  'Thou 
knowest. ' 

"A  deadly  silence  reigned  for  a  few  moments  in  the 
great  hall,  when  Sir  Big  Rock,  the  chief  councillor,  said: 
'My  comrades,  we  must  remember  the  words  of  the  an- 
cients, "when  the  master  is  insulted  it  is  for  the  servants 
to  die. ' '  But  first  let  us  petition  the  shogun  to  appoint  a 
successor  to  our  late  lord  and  thus  restore  the  house  of 
Ako.' 

"A  few  weeks  later  a  commissioner  arrived  demanding 
that  the  castle  be  turned  over  to  the  shogun 's  representa- 
tive at  once,  and  informing  the  clan  that  their  petition  for 
a  successor  to  Lord  Ako  had  been  refused.  On  receiving 
this  message  Lord  Big  Rock  said,  '  Comrades,  is  it  not  writ- 
ten by  Confucius,  "Thou  shalt  not  live  under  the  same 
heaven  nor  tread  the  same  earth  with  the  enemy  of  thy 
master  or  parent"?  But  the  time  has  not  arrived  for  us 
to  use  our  swords  upon  ourselves.  The  death  of  our  lord 
must  first  be  avenged.'  At  this  point  a  written  compact 
was  produced  by  Sir  Big  Rock,  by  which  they  agreed  never 
to  rest  until  Sir  Kira  was  dead.  This  was  read  to  the 
forty-seven  ronin  present,  all  of  whom  took  the  solemn 
oath  and  appended  their  signatures  in  blood.  After  the 
death  of  a  daimio  the  samurai  became  ronin  and  remained 
so  until  they  attached  themselves  to  another  master. 

"Several  days  after  the  surrender  of  the  castle,  Sir  Big 
Rock  assigned  each  member  of  the  devoted  band  to  some 
special  duty  where  the  movements  of  Sir  Kira  could  be 
watched.  For  three  long  years  the  members  of  the  clan 
watched  the  most  minute  movement  and  action  of  their  de- 
tested enemy  and  it  would  be  impossible  to  recite  in  this 

[206] 


STORY  OF  FORTY-SEVEN  RONIN 

narrative  the  many  instances  of  personal  sacrifice,  poverty, 
and  hardships  they  experienced  during  the  period.  The 
ruses  and  dissimulations  resorted  to  by  the  faithful  band 
were  marvellously  executed  and  excited  the  wonder  and 
admiration  of  every  one. 

"Sir  Big  Rock  entered  into  every  kind  of  low  debauchery 
and  drunkenness  to  deceive  and  throw  off  their  guard  the 
spies  of  Sir  Kira  who  watched  the  movements  of  the  con- 
spirators under  assumed  names.  Numbers  of  the  ronin 
occupied  menial  positions  as  servants  in  the  homes  of  Sir 
Kira's  friends  or  the  shogun's  officials.  Others  had  van- 
ished from  the  public  eye  altogether  though  they  never  lost 
sight  of  the  one  object  for  which  they  continued  to  live. 

"Three  years  had  now  elapsed  since  Lord  Ako's  death 
and  nothing  further  was  heard  of  the  dreadful  compact. 
The  conspirators  had  disappeared  from  public  notice  or  had 
degenerated  as  low  as  the  eta  *,  or  became  drunkards,  and 
the  friends  of  Sir  Kira  advised  him  that  all  danger  was 
past.  The  gratifying  news  came  from  a  distant  province 
that  the  arch-conspirator,  Lord  Big  Rock,  had  become  a 
common  sot  and  was  frequently  seen  lying  in  the  gutter 
in  a  besotted  condition.  It  is  true  that  the  loyal  chief  of 
Sir  Ako  had  resorted  to  the  lowest  practices  to  deceive  Sir 
Kira's  spies  and  had  even  become  so  low  that  his  wife 
would  no  longer  live  with  him. 

"Within  a  few  days  of  the  third  anniversary  of  Lord 
Ako's  death  it  was  learned  that  Sir  Kira,  who  had  been  liv- 
ing in  seclusion,  intended  to  return  to  Yedo  and  give  a  pub- 
lic entertainment.  The  news  reached  Sir  Big  Rock  who  at 
once  returned  to  the  capital  and  summoned  the  clansmen 
to  meet  him  at  midnight  in  an  old  vacant  house  in  an  un- 
frequented part  of  the  city.  Here  by  the  feeble  light  of 
candles  the  roll  was  called  and  forty-seven  ronin  responded. 
Sir  Big  Rock  remained  silent  for  a  moment  engaged  in  deep 
thought,  then  gazing  upon  the  devoted  band  said:  'Broth- 

*  The  etd  represented  the  social  pariahs  of  Japan,  a  class  with 
whom  no  respectable  person  would  associate. 

[207] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

ers,  three  years  ago  our  beloved  lord  committed  this  legacy 
to  our  charge.  Since  then  some  of  his  followers  have 
proven  faithless  to  the  plighted  oath ;  those  we  leave  to  the 
vengeance  of  the  gods  and  contempt  of  their  fellow  men. 
We  who  have  assembled  here  have  been  sorely  tried,  but 
have  patiently  waited  the  hour  of  duty  and  sacrifice.  Our 
powerful  and  vigilant  enemy  has  been  deceived  into  be- 
lieving us  disloyal  and  untrue  to  our  trust.  In  a  few  days 
Lord  Kira  gives  a  feast  to  his  friends  and  on  that  night 
he  shall  cease  to  live,  we  care  not  how  closely  he  may  be 
guarded.' 

1 '  The  sacred  box  was  now  opened  by  the  loyal  chief,  who 
revealed  the  blood-stained  robe  which  had  been  worn  by 
their  lord,  and  the  keen-edged  knife  which  had  ended  his 
days.  '  Comrades, '  he  continued, '  this  is  the  weapon,  which 
shall  end  Sir  Kira's  life  and  I  swear  by  the  gods  of  our 
ancestors  never  to  leave  his  palace  until  the  deed  is  per- 
formed. '  After  receiving  instructions  as  to  the  rendezvous 
on  the  night  of  the  feast,  the  ronin  left  their  chief  who 
spent  the  remainder  of  the  night  on  his  knees  before  the 
bloody  legacy  left  him  by  his  beloved  master. 

"The  day  before  the  feast  of  Sir  Kira,  Sir  Big  Rock 
called  his  faithful  domestics  around  him  and  said:  'The 
time  has  arrived  when  I  will  no  longer  need  your  services, 
I  desire  you  to  proceed  to  Richcliff  house  and  deliver  these 
letters  to  my  father-in-law,  my  divorced  but  faithful  wife, 
and  loving  children.  The  time  has  come  for  me  to  go  on 
my  long  and  lonesome  journey,  for  the  clansmen  are  to 
carry  out  their  cherished  plan  to-night. ' 

"In  the  letter  to  his  wife  he  said,  'I  beg  you  to  forgive 
me  for  the  cruel  and  brutal  manner  in  which  I  have  treated 
you.  You  will  never  realize  the  misery  I  have  suffered 
from  the  separation,  which  was  necessary,  and  the  stigma 
that  has  fallen  on  our  children.  My  honest  and  cherished 
wife,  I  will  never  see  you  again  in  this  life,  but  my  spirit 
will  ever  be  present  to  watch  over  your  welfare  and  that 
of  the  children.    Farewell,  wife  of  my  heart,  and  when  my 

[208] 


STORY  OF  FORTY-SEVEN  RONIN 

duty  to  my  lord  has  been  performed  and  I  am  travelling 
through  the  land  of  shadows,  think  of  me  as  tenderly  as 
you  can  and  remember  that  I  will  be  waiting  on  the  Lonely 
Road  to  greet  you  when  your  earthly  work  is  done.' 

' '  Sir  Big  Rock  then  proceeded  to  the  home  of  Lady  Ako, 
now  known  as  Lady  Pure  Gem,  who  was  suffering  bitter 
grief  and  sorrow  on  the  third  anniversary  of  Lord  Ako's 
death.  When  the  faithful  chief  was  announced  she  de- 
clined to  see  him  because  she  believed  him  false  to  his  trust 
and  unfaithful  in  his  obligations.  A  lady-in-waiting  was 
deputized  to  see  Sir  Big  Rock  and  learn  the  object  of  his 
visit.  From  him  she  received  a  letter  for  her  mistress  and 
several  books  which  the  chief  councillor  begged  should  be 
given  her.  The  letter  contained  an  affectionate  farewell 
to  Lady  Pure  Gem  and  an  announcement  of  the  intended 
attack  on  Sir  Kira's  palace  that  very  night,  promising 
that  he  should  surely  die. 

"From  the  home  of  his  unhappy  mistress  he  went  at 
once  to  the  rendezvous  of  his  fellow  conspirators  who  were 
to  assemble  punctually  at  10  o'clock  that  night.  A  sym- 
pathetic proprietor  of  a  neighboring  inn  had  prepared  a 
bountiful  feast  for  the  band,  and  there  they  remained  un- 
til after  midnight,  exchanging  final  vows  of  eternal  fidelity 
in  copious  bowls  of  steaming  sake. 

1  '  The  sounds  of  music  and  revelry  were  heard  in  the  pal- 
ace of  Sir  Kira  as  the  band  armed  with  swords  and  ladders 
approached  the  outer  wall  of  the  building.  After  these 
had  died  away  and  the  lights  were  extinguished  in  the  pal- 
ace, the  conspirators  rapidly  scaled  the  walls  and  were 
soon  engaged  in  a  hand-to-hand  conflict  with  Lord  Kira's 
samurai.  The  struggle  was  brief  but  sanguinary  and 
within  an  hour  the  last  defending  warrior  lay  weltering  on 
the  crimson  covered  floor  of  the  court. 

"A  search  was  now  instituted  for  the  cowardly  lord  of 

the  palace,  who  was  nowhere  to  be  found.     His  discovery 

was  to  be  announced  by  the  sound  of  a  bugle,  which  would 

become  the  signal  for  the  assembly  of  the  band.     Anxiously 

14  [  209  ] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

had  the  many  rooms  in  the  large  palace  been  carefully 
searched  and  every  nook  and  cranny  around  the  extensive 
grounds,  when  several  of  the  ronin  were  suddenly  attacked 
by  two  of  Sir  Kira's  samurai,  who  were  found  guarding  a 
coal-shed  in  the  rear  of  the  palace.  After  a  short  but  fierce 
attack  the  nobleman's  guardsmen  were  killed  and  the  coal- 
shed  examined. 

''Sir  Big  Rock,  whose  presence  was  drawn  by  the  sharp 
struggle  said,  'Comrades,  where  you  find  one  snake  it  is 
well  to  look  for  others, '  and  advancing  with  a  lantern  found 
an  object  buried  in  a  heap  of  coal  dust,  which  resembled 
a  large  black  dog.  It  proved  to  be  Sir  Kira  who  had 
run  out  of  the  palace  during  the  conflict  enveloped  in  a 
white  satin  sleeping  robe  which  had  become  as  black  as 
charcoal. 

1 '  Immediately  the  bugle  was  sounded  and  the  eager  band 
of  clansmen  gathered  around  the  enemy  of  their  dead 
master,  though  many  of  them  were  desperately  wounded 
in  the  deadly  combat.  Upon  being  dragged  from  his  lair 
Lord  Big  Rock  asked,  'Are  you  not  Sir  Kira?'  to  which 
the  craven  refused  to  reply.  'Yes,  it  is  you,  Lord  Kira,' 
said  one  of  the  ronin,  'for  I  still  see  the  scar  on  your  brow 
made  by  our  beloved  lord  when  he  endeavored  to  wipe  out 
an  unjust  insult  three  years  ago.' 

"Sir  Big  Rock  then  knelt  before  the  trembling  noble- 
man and  respectfully  addressing  him,  said,  'Sir  Kira,  we 
are  the  retainers  of  Lord  Ako,  who  at  your  instigation 
was  condemned  to  hara-kiri.  We  have  waited  three  long 
years  to  avenge  that  cruel  wrong  and  thus  perform  our 
duty  as  faithful  and  loyal  men.  "We  pray  that  you  will 
acknowledge  the  justice  of  our  purpose  and  therefore  be- 
seech you  to  perform  upon  yourself  the  honorable  cere- 
mony, and  I  will  honor  myself  by  being  your  second.' 

"Lord  Kira  was  overcome  with  fear  and  covering  his 
face  with  his  blackened  hands  fell  upon  the  ground  weep- 
ing. Finding  that  further  argument  with  the  terrorized 
lord  was  useless,  Sir  Big  Rock  produced  the  fatal  dirk 

[210] 


STORY  OF  FORTY-SEVEN  RONIN 

of  his  master  and  handed  it  to  one  of  the  ronin,  with  in- 
structions to  terminate  without  further  delay  the  earthly- 
career  of  the  unworthy  nobleman. 

"As  the  crimson  hues  of  the  morning  sun  began  to 
tinge  the  hills  around  Yedo,  the  faithful  band  proceeded 
to  the  cemetery  of  Spring  Hill  Temple  and  placed  the 
head  of  their  master's  foe  with  the  blood-stained  knife 
upon  his  tomb.  A  messenger  was  at  once  sent  to  Lady 
Pure  Gem  to  come  at  once,  in  order  to  witness  the  offering 
made  to  the  spirit  of  their  dead  master.  Lady  Pure  Gem 
was  too  ill  to  leave  her  home  but  sent  as  a  substitute  Lady 
Pine  Island  who  was  her  waiting  maid. 

"Surrounding  the  tomb,  which  had  been  draped  for  the 
occasion,  were  the  faithful  ronin  and  their  loyal  leader, 
Sir  Big  Rock,  who  stepped  forward  with  an  incense  burner 
and  live  charcoal.  The  forty-six  ronin  reverently  kneel- 
ing before  the  tomb,  Sir  Big  Rock  took  from  his  bosom  a 
scroll  and  read  as  follows :  '  Most  sacred  spirit  of  our  noble 
lord,  we  come  this  day  to  do  homage  at  your  tomb  and 
are  willing  to  lay  down  our  lives  in  your  worthy  cause. 
We  have  eaten  your  food  and  partaken  of  your  bounty 
and  feel  that  we  are  yours  in  all  things  according  to  the 
commands  of  Confucius.  We  would  not  have  dared  to 
present  ourselves  before  you  in  Paradise  without  having 
first  avenged  you  of  that  cruel  insult.  Worthy  master, 
your  life  has  shed  lustre  on  the  race  of  Nippon  and  thou- 
sands have  come  to  worship  at  your  shrine.  The  old,  the 
feeble  and  sick,  the  young  and  strong  have  joyously  come 
to  end  their  lives  with  you.  The  dirk  which  poured  out 
your  noble  blood  and  removed  from  this  world  your  un- 
worthy foe  we  return  to  your  tomb.' 

"The  ceremony  was  completed  after  each  of  the  ronin 
had  sprinkled  incense  upon  the  burning  charcoal  on  Lord 
Ako's  tomb,  after  making  a  farewell  address.  A  few  mo- 
ments later  four  noblemen  from  the  shogun  's  court  entered 
the  cemetery  and  advancing  to  Sir  Big  Rock  and  the  ronin 
addressed  them  as  follows:  'The  wise  councillors  of  elders 

[211] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

have  decided  that  you  have  conspired  against,  broken  into 
the  palace,  and  slain  Sir  Kira,  late  master  of  ceremonies, 
and  his  guard.  You  are,  therefore,  directed  to  prepare 
yourselves  for  hara-kiri,  but  before  undergoing  this  hon- 
orable but  just  ordeal  will  be  allowed  to  bid  farewell  to 
your  families  and  friends  who  are  to  be  banished  to  the 
island  of  Oshima  where  they  will  remain  during  the  pleas- 
ure of  the  shogun. ' 

"When  the  councillors  had  stopped  speaking  Lord  Big 
Rock  advanced  and  said,  'We  acknowledge  the  justice  of 
the  sentence  and  gratefully  return  thanks  for  being  per- 
mitted to  die  the  honorable  death  of  happy  despatch.'  " 

On  February  4,  1701,  at  the  hour  of  the  snake,  10 
a.m.,  and  before  the  sounds  of  the  temple  bells  had  died 
away,  the  forty-six  ronin  led  by  their  dauntless  chief,  Sir 
Big  Rock,  fell  into  line  and  began  the  long  march  down 
the  Lonely  Road  where  they  were  awaited  by  their  beloved 
lord  and  master.  Although  three  centuries  have  passed 
away  since  the  tragic  ending  of  the  forty-seven  ronin  oc- 
curred, the  spirit  of  Bushido  which  actuated  the  gallant 
band,  burns  as  strongly  as  ever  in  the  hearts  of  their 
countrymen. 

"Go  to  Spring  Hill  Temple,  whene'er  you  will,  whether 
it  be  when  the  pink  clouds  of  cherry  blossoms  gladden  the 
hearts  of  the  people,  or  the  gorgeous  tints  of  the  autumn 
leaves  vie  with  the  golden  sunset  upon  the  distant  hills, 
you  will  find  a  band  of  devotees  mingling  their  prayers 
with  the  burning  incense  in  worship  of  the  sacred  dead. ' ' 


[212] 


CHAPTER  XXIII 

NIK-KO  AND  LAKE  CHUZENJI 

Visit  to  Nik-ko  —  Avenue  op  Cryptomerias  Leading  to 
the  Tomb  —  Villages  op  Hachi-ishi  and  Iri-machi  — 
Hotels  op  Nik-ko  —  The  Daiya-gawa  and  the  Sacred 
Bridge  —  Shodo  Shonin  and  the  Bridge  op  Snakes  — 
Choy-o-kwan  and  the  Rin-no-ji  —  The  Torii  and  the 
Pagoda  —  The  Fuist  Court  and  the  Monkeys  op  Nik- 
ko —  The  Second  Court  and  the  Great  Bell  —  The 
Gate  op  Yomei-mon  and  Third  Court  —  The  Kara- 
mon  Gate  and  the  "Holy  op  Holies" — The  Famous 
Elephants  and  Sleeping  Cat  —  The  Tomb  op  Ieyasu 
—  Trip  to  Lake  Chuzenji — The  Fifty  Images  op 
Amida  —  The  White-Robed  Pilgrims  —  Scenes  along 
the  Mountain  Road  —  Mount  Nan-tai-zan  and  Lake 
Chuzenji  —  Yomoto  and  its  Copper-Stained  Lake  — 
Return  to  Nik-ko. 

THE  day  following  our  visit  to  Tokio  and  the  Tombs 
of  the  Forty- Seven  Ronin  we  left  on  an  early  train 
for  Nik-ko,  the  crowning  necropolis  of  Nippon's  greatest 
dead,  which  was  reached  after  a  pleasant  journey  of  eight 
hours.  The  road  runs  almost  directly  north  from  Tokio 
and  follows  closely  the  Old  Highway  which  for  centuries 
past  has  been  threaded  by  countless  processions  of  holy 
pilgrims,  en  route  to  worship  at  the  royal  tombs. 

Down  the  hazy  vistas  of  bygone  centuries,  in  our  dreamy 
fancies,  we  still  can  see  the  royal  cavalcade,  as  it  winds  its 
way  over  the  blue  hills  of  ancient  Yedo,  led  by  the  van- 
guard of  powerful  daimios  borne  along  in  gilded  palan- 

[213] 


ON  LEAVE   IN  JAPAN 

quins  and  followed  by  the  floating  banners  of  their  armed 
samurai  and  faithful  retainers;  long  processions  of  Bud- 
dhist prelates  in  richly  embroidered  vestments,  and  ton- 
sured monks  chanting  the  litany  of  their  creed  and  swing- 
ing censers  from  which  clouds  of  burning  incense  ascend 
to  the  spirits  of  departed  ancestors.  Legion  upon  legion 
of  faithful  white-robed  pilgrims  follow,  whose  infatuation 
for  ancestor  worship  overcomes  the  hardships  of  the  long 
and  weary  march. 

In  making  the  trip  to  Nik-ko  from  Yokohama  the  trav- 
eller has  to  change  cars  at  Shinagawa,  Akabaue,  and  Utso- 
nomyia, an  altogether  useless  procedure  which  should  be 
remedied  by  the  railroad  authorities.  Those  who  made 
the  journey  to  Nik-ko  before  the  railroad  was  completed 
beyond  Utsonomyia,  claim  that  the  place  has  assumed  a 
different  atmosphere  and  is  not  now  half  so  agreeable. 
The  real  pleasures  of  the  trip  then  began  on  entering  the 
magnificent  avenue  of  cryptomerias  which  extended 
twenty-five  miles  across  hill  and  dale  before  it  reached  the 
massive  torii  leading  to  the  sacred  tombs. 

Nowhere  in  the  world  save  in  the  groves  of  the  gigantic 
sequoia  of  California  can  more  magnificent  trees  be  seen 
than  among  the  majestic  cryptomerias  which  line  the  av- 
enues and  form  the  background  to  the  tombs  of  the  great 
Tokugawa  shoguns  at  Nik-ko.  Hundreds  of  years  ago  these 
two  grand  macadamized  avenues  were  built,  the  one  begin- 
ning at  Kanuma,  the  other  at  Utsonomyia,  joining  at  Ima- 
chi  four  miles  from  Nik-ko,  where  they  form  a  boulevard 
which  has  no  equal  in  the  world.  Since  the  downfall  of 
the  shogunate  in  1868,  time  has  wrought  many  changes 
here  and  there  among  the  great  trees  which  bordered  its 
margins;  some  have  disappeared  and  the  roadbed  has  be- 
come injured  by  the  annual  storms  and  constant  use  with- 
out repair. 

The  country  through  which  the  tourist  passes,  en  route 
to  Nik-ko  from  Tokio,  is  picturesque  and  interesting  and 
the  railroad  accommodations  excellent.     The  Japanese  au- 

[214] 


NIK-KO  AND  LAKE  CHUZENJI 

thorities  are  very  cautious  in  the  management  of  their 
railway  system  and,  in  consequence,  accidents  are  rare. 
Viaducts  cross  the  tracks  at  every  station  and  their  use  is 
enforced,  it  matters  not  how  remote  or  unimportant  they 
may  be.  Although  the  shrill  whistle  of  the  steam-engine 
now  pervades  the  solemnity  of  the  sacred  tombs,  nothing 
but  the  hand  of  Time  can  destroy  the  sublimity  and  gran- 
deur of  the  place. 

"Never  use  the  word  magnificent  until  you  have  seen 
Nik-ko,"  has  become  proverbial  among  the  hosts  of  ad- 
miring visitors  who  for  generations  have  found  their  way 
to  this  enchanting  region  of  sunshine  and  storm.  When 
the  celestial  gods  descended  from  the  Plains  of  Heaven 
to  create  Dai-Nippon  they  must  have  borne  in  mind  the 
conception  which  was  finally  realized  in  this  incomparable 
region  of  majestic  mountains,  rugged  gorges,  smiling  val- 
leys, silvery  waterfalls,  and  rolling  downs. 

Long  before  the  traveller  reaches  the  sacred  mausoleum 
of  the  dead,  the  towering  peak  of  Nan-tai-zan,  decked  in 
the  verdant  foliage  of  its  mighty  forest  giants,  bursts  upon 
the  view  like  a  beacon  light  to  the  mariner  on  a  starless 
sea.  "Whether  you  go  there  in  the  early  Spring,  when  the 
beauties  of  Nature  are  enhanced  by  the  delicate  clouds  of 
plum  and  cherry  blossoms  and  the  blaze  of  glory  which 
shines  forth  from  the  white  and  pink  azalea  trees,  or 
whether  amid  the  golden  and  scarlet  tints  of  autumn,  you 
will  find  Nik-ko  the  crowning  gem  of  Nippon's  mountain 
realm. 

On  reaching  the  station  we  found  ourselves  at  the  lower 
end  of  a  wide  street  a  mile  and  a  half  long,  leading  through 
the  straggling  village  of  Hachi-ishi,  before  reaching  the 
principal  hotels  which  are  located  on  opposite  sides  of  the 
Daiya-gawa,  the  little  mountain  stream  which  bathes  the 
base  of  the  sacred  hill  in  which  repose  the  illustrious  dead. 
Fortunately  for  the  traveller,  Nik-ko  is  provided  with  two 
excellent  modern  hotels  which  compare  favorably  with  tour- 
ist hotels  in  other  parts  of  the  world.     The  rooms  are  large 

[215] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

and  comfortable,  bathing  facilities  good,  food  excellent  and 
the  prices  reasonable. 

The  "Kanaya"  and  the  "Nik-ko"  have  been  erected 
for  foreign  trade  and  are  practically  European  in  furniture, 
food,  and  management,  although  owned  by  Japanese  com- 
panies and  conducted  by  native  managers.  The  native 
tourists  usually  patronize  the  Japanese  inns  and  hotels 
which  are  located  farther  down  the  village  and  nearer  the 
station.  The  Kanaya  is  most  beautifully  located  on  a  high 
plateau,  under  the  Daikoku  hill,  and  overlooks  the  valley 
of  the  Daiya-gawa  and  the  Sacred  Bridge  which  lies  a  hun- 
dred feet  below. 

It  was  on  the  site  of  the  Kanaya  that  the  Buddhist  Saint 
Shodo  Shonin  is  said  to  have  built  his  hut  and  lived  during 
the  seventh  century.  The  large  and  spacious  grounds  sur- 
rounding the  hotel  are  covered  with  green  lawns,  handsome 
flowering  trees,  and  parterres  of  flowers.  Looking  north 
from  the  hotel  a  beautiful  panorama  bursts  upon  the  view. 
Tier  upon  tier  of  mountain-sides,  covered  with  every  shade 
of  green,  yellow,  and  scarlet,  bursts  upon  the  vision,  while 
for  miles  towards  Nan-tai-zan  winds  the  beautiful  valley  of 
the  Daiya-gawa.  The  Nik-ko,  which  is  a  much  older  hotel, 
is  located  in  the  village  of  Iri-machi  on  the  other  side  of 
the  river,  some  distance  below  the  tomb  of  Iemitsu. 

Between  the  two  villages  which  constitute  the  town  of 
Nik-ko  flows  the  brisk  mountain  stream,  the  Daiya-gawa,  the 
outlet  for  Lake  Chuzenji  which  lies  on  the  high  plateau 
at  the  foot  of  Mount  Nan-tai-zan,  eight  miles  away.  From 
this  quiet  little  lake  the  impetuous  stream  leaps  headlong 
down  the  mountain-side,  sheer  two  hundred  and  fifty  feet 
through  canon  and  gorge  in  its  eagerness  to  reach  the 
winding  valley  below,  where  it  continues  its  wild  course, 
skurrying,  flurrying,  and  hurrying,  forcing,  tossing,  and 
crossing,  soaring,  pouring,  and  roaring,  grumbling,  mum- 
bling, and  tumbling,  ringing,  jingling,  and  singing  an  In- 
dian love  song  of  the  ancient  Aino,  as  it  hastens  by  temple, 

[216] 


NIK-KO  AND  LAKE  CHUZENJI 

tomb,  and  sacred  bridge  before  plunging  into  the  deep  blue 
sea. 

The  pantheon  of  Nik-ko,  which  consists  of  the  mortuary 
temples  and  tombs,  is  indescribably  beautiful  and  makes 
a  fitting  resting  place  for  two  of  the  greatest  rulers  Japan 
has  ever  produced.  Possibly  within  the  entire  Empire  no 
more  appropriate  place  could  have  been  selected,  where 
Nature  had  so  wonderfully  conspired  to  match  the 
solemnity    and    sacredness    of    the    purpose. 

To  reach  the  tombs  from  the  Kanaya  hotel  or  lower  vil- 
lage, one  has  to  cross  the  large  temporary  bridge  con- 
structed for  the  use  of  the  general  public.  Forty  feet 
farther  up  the  stream  is  located  the  Sacred  Bridge,  of  a 
brilliant  red  color,  which  was  reserved  for  the  sacred  feet 
of  the  shogun,  except  twice  yearly  when  the  white-robed 
pilgrims  are  allowed  to  cross.  An  exception  was  made  to 
our  distinguished  fellow  countryman  and  former  president, 
General  Grant,  in  1877,  who  modestly  declined  the  honor. 

This  historic  bridge  was  first  constructed  in  1638,  but 
was  washed  away  by  the  great  flood  of  1902,  and  restored 
in  1907.  The  site  where  the  bridge  stands  was  according 
to  legend  crossed  by  the  Buddhist  Saint  Shodo  Shonin  in 
769.  On  returning  from  a  journey  in  quest  of  four  mirac- 
ulous colored  clouds  which  he  had  seen  from  the  top  of 
a  neighboring  mountain,  he  found  his  progress  barred  by 
the  foaming  Daiya-gawa  and  immediately  fell  on  his  knees 
and  began  to  pray.  Whereupon  on  the  opposite  side  of 
the  river  a  divine  being  of  colossal  size  appeared  in  blue 
robes,  with  a  string  of  skulls  hung  around  his  neck,  who 
flung  a  pair  of  green  and  blue  snakes  across,  and  in  an  in- 
stant, like  the  arch  of  a  rainbow  in  the  clouds,  a  long  bridge 
was  seen  to  span  the  river.  When  the  saint  had  crossed 
over  both  the  god  and  snake  bridge  had  disappeared. 

From  an  early  legend  a  Shinto  temple  was  said  to  have 
existed  at  Nik-ko  in  the  third  century  but  was  removed 
to  Utsonomyia.     Although   Shodo   Shonin,   the   Buddhist 

[217] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

saint,  is  known  to  have  built  a  temple  here  in  767,  the  real 
prominence  of  Nik-ko  began  in  the  early  part  of  the  sev- 
enteenth century,  in  May,  1617,  when  all  that  was  mortal 
of  the  great  Ieyasu  was  removed  from  Kunosan  and  laid 
away  beneath  the  tall  cryptomerias  which  ever  since  have 
so  proudly  guarded  his  tomb. 

The  morning  after  our  arrival,  in  company  with  a  guide, 
we  crossed  the  bridge  and  followed  the  broad  avenue  whhm 
ascends  the  mountain-side. 

' '  The  imposing  structure  you  see  on  the  left  is  the  choyo- 
kwan,"  said  the  guide,  "and  was  used  in  olden  times  for 
the  reception  and  use  of  the  daimios  and  members  of  the 
Tokugawa  clan,  who  made  annual  visits  to  the  tombs  of 
their  ancestors.  It  is  now  used  as  a  residence  for  two 
princesses  of  the  royal  house. 

"Opposite  the  choyokwan  on  the  right  of  the  avenue 
stands  the  enclosure  known  as  the  Rinnoji,  where  in  former 
days  stood  the  Hombo  or  Abbott's  Palace.  Within  these 
grounds  still  remain  the  Hall  of  the  Three  Buddhas,  a  thou- 
sand-handed Kwannon  on  the  right,  Amida  or  Buddha  in 
the  centre,  and  a  horse-headed  Kwannon  on  the  left.  Close 
by  stands  a  pillar  of  copper,  known  as  the  Sorinto,  which 
was  erected  in  1643.  It  consists  of  a  tall  column,  forty- 
two  feet  high,  and  is  supposed  to  have  the  power  of  avert- 
ing the  influence  of  evil  spirits.  The  summit  of  the  column 
is  ornamented  with  four  cups  shaped  like  lotus  flowers, 
from  the  petals  of  which  are  suspended  small  bells. 

"We  will  now  ascend  a  number  of  broad  stone  steps  bor- 
dered by  giant  cryptomerias  and  observe  on  the  left  the 
handsome  five-storied  pagoda,  104  feet  high,  resplendent 
in  harmonious  colors,  from  which  no  doubt  the  spirits  of 
the  dead  watch  the  approach  of  worshipping  pilgrims  from 
afar.  Let  us  enter  the  massive  torii  of  granite,  twenty- 
seven  feet  high,  which  was  presented  by  the  Daimio  of 
Chikusen  in  1618. 

"You  will  observe,  on  entering  the  portal  of  the  first 
[218] 


NIK-KO  AND  LAKE  CHUZENJI 

courtyard,  the  elaborately  carved  lions,  the  unicorn,  and  a 
mythological  animal  called  the  baku.  The  portal  is 
guarded  by  two  divas,  who,  with  clenched  fists  and  fierce 
countenances,  threaten  those  who  enter.  The  courtyard 
wall,  originally  colored  in  brilliant  red,  encloses  three  small 
buildings  containing  many  personal  articles  belonging  to 
the  dead  monarch,  or  used  in  religious  ceremonies.  A  few 
yards  away  stands  the  stall  of  the  sacred  steed,  which  ca- 
parisoned in  proper  harness,  awaits  the  call  to  be  led 
forth  for  the  use  of  his  dead  master. 

1 '  It  is  upon  the  f  acade  of  this  small  building  that  Hidari 
Jingori,  the  left-handed  sculptor  in  wood,  carved  the  blind, 
deaf,  and  dumb  monkeys  of  Nik-ko,  which  until  the  mil- 
lennium comes  will  preach  a  code  of  moral  ethics  for  the 
reproach  of  scandal-mongers  throughout  the  broad  uni- 
verse. Within  this  court  also  stands  the  beautifully  dec- 
orated building  known  as  the  Ky-o-zo,  which  contains  a 
complete  collection  of  the  Buddhist  scriptures.  Near  by 
you  will  notice  the  holy-water  cistern  which  is  chiselled  from 
a  single  piece  of  granite. 

"Another  flight  of  steps  leads  us  to  a  second  court  which 
contains  the  tower  of  the  great  bell,  whose  sonorous  tones 
reverberate  for  miles  along  the  aisles  and  avenues  of  the 
wooded  hills.  Inside  this  court  are  the  celebrated  stone 
lions  in  the  act  of  leaping,  which  were  presented  by 
Iemitsu,  the  grandson  of  the  great  Ieyasu.  Here  also  is  lo- 
cated the  Temple  of  Ya-ku-shi,  the  patron  saint  to  To-go- 
shu,  the  synonym  by  which  the  great  monarch  was  known 
in  death.  While  the  outside  of  this  temple  is  simply  col- 
ored black  and  red,  its  interior  is  a  blaze  of  glory  and  said 
to  have  no  parallel  in  Nik-ko. 

"On  each  side  of  the  fence  which  leads  to  the  beautiful 
gate  of  Yomei-mon  through  which  we  enter  the  third  court, 
are  seen  the  fine  medallions  containing  mountain  birds  in 
the  upper  ones  and  water-fowls  in  the  lower.  The  white 
columns  which  support  the  roof  of  the  gate  are  carved  in 

[219] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

figures  of  marvellous  beauty.  The  striped  coats  of  the 
tigers  which  adorn  their  sides,  are  ingeniously  represented 
by  the  veining  of  the  wood. 

u  Passing  through  this  gate  we  enter  the  third  court, 
where  the  priests  perform  their  religious  ceremonies  for 
the  dead  and  the  priestesses  render  the  sacred  dances 
known  as  the  Kagura  for  the  pilgrims  who  contribute  to 
the  expenses  of  the  place. 

"The  Karamon  or  the  Chinese  gate  gives  access  to  the 
main  shrines  which  are  enclosed  in  a  rich  barricade  of 
golden  trellis,  each  side  of  which  is  fifty  yards  long. 
Within  is  the  Hon  don  or  oratory,  lavishly  decorated  in  the 
most  superb  carving,  representing  the  best  work  of  the 
Jingori  period  of  the  Tokugawa  decorations.  Over  there 
observe  the  famous  elephants  and  the  celebrated  sleeping 
cat  of  Nik-ko.  Within  the  oratory  we  find  a  large,  matted 
room  with  an  ante-chamber  at  each  end,  the  one  on  the  right 
intended  for  the  use  of  the  shogun  and  elaborately  deco- 
rated with  superb  pictures  and  four  carved  panels  of 
phcenix  birds,  while  the  room  on  the  opposite  side  is  deco- 
rated with  panels  of  eagles.  The  ceilings  of  this  superb 
temple  are  decorated  in  square  panels  with  gold  dragons 
on  a  blue  ground. 

*  •  In  the  rear  of  the  immense  hall  a  stairway  leads  down 
to  a  stone  chamber,  the  'Holy  of  Holies,'  into  which  those 
particularly  interested  can  gain  admittance  for  the  sum 
of  seven  yen.  This  compartment  is  divided  into  three  sub- 
chambers,  which  have  special  names  indicative  of  the  dis- 
tinctive religious  ceremonies  for  which  intended.  They 
now  contain  articles  of  Japanese  art,  representing  the 
acme  of  its  workmanship  and  coloring. 

"We  now  pass  to  the  tomb  of  Ieyasu,  which  is  reached 
by  passing  out  of  the  Karamon  gate,  and  entering  a  moss- 
covered  gallery  leading  up  several  long  flights  of  stone 
steps,  several  hundred  in  all.  Built  after  the  tombs  in 
Shiba  and  Ueno,  it  is  pagoda-shaped  and  composed  of 
light-colored  bronze  into  which  enters  a  large  percentage 

[220] 


en 

> 
o 

73 


O 

55 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

Uma-gaeshi,  a  small  hamlet  lying  at  the  base  of  the  moun- 
tain and  known  as  the  ricksha  stable,  the  entire  distance 
may  be  made  in  chair,  kago,  or  ricksha,  by  ladies  or  others 
not  able  to  endure  the  exertion  of  the  mountain  road  on 
foot. 

The  aurora  of  early  dawn  was  fading  into  the  golden 
halo  of  the  rising  sun  as  we  crossed  the  large  bridge  lead- 
ing from  the  Kanaya  to  the  valley  below,  while  the  crisp 
air  warned  us  of  approaching  autumn.  The  road  winding 
up  the  valley  clings  to  the  banks  of  the  stream  and  makes 
many  elusive  turns  before  reaching  the  rugged  mountain 
gorge  below  the  falls  of  Kegon.  One  mile  above  the  Sacred 
Bridge,  ranged  in  sitting  posture,  are  the  gray  stone  im- 
ages of  fifty  Amidas  who  in  deathlike  silence  guard  the 
tombs  of  the  royal  dead. 

Time  and  the  hands  of  vandals  have  mutilated  many 
of  these  ancient  figures  and  several  were  swept  away  in 
the  swirling  current  of  the  flood  of  1902,  which  also  carried 
away  the  Sacred  Bridge.  The  largest  of  these  images  was 
carried  as  far  as  the  lower  end  of  Ima-ichi,  where  it  now 
stands  in  pink  bib,  receiving  the  adorations  of  the  simple- 
minded  mountain  folk  who  regard  it  as  a  protective  deity. 

The  road  to  Chuzenji  on  the  morning  of  our  visit  was 
lined  with  bands  of  white-robed  pilgrims,  with  sandalled 
feet  and  wide  mushroom-shaped  hats,  each  carrying  staff 
and  bundle,  which  signified  that  they  had  travelled  from 
some  remote  section  of  the  empire  and  were  bound  for  the 
sacred  temple  on  the  summit  of  Mount  Nan-tai-zan.  There 
were  also  troupes  of  school  children,  who  had  been  sent  to 
Nik-ko  by  a  paternal  government  to  pay  homage  to  the 
spirits  of  the  illustrious  dead,  as  well  as  to  enjoy  the  mag- 
nificence of  the  mountain  scenery. 

The  national  leaders  regard  the  education  of  the  children 
as  one  of  their  most  important  duties,  realizing  that  the 
country's  future  success  depends  upon  the  coming  gener- 
ations.   The  government  is  in  a  position  to  provide  these 

[222] 


NIK-KO  AND  LAKE  CHUZENJI 

annual  excursions  at  little  cost  since  it  owns  the  railroads. 
The  school  children  of  both  sexes  are  uniformed  as  a  rule, 
the  boys  in  dark  blue  or  gray  with  caps  of  the  same  color, 
while  the  girls  wear  skirts  of  dark  blue,  plum,  or  maroon 
with  a  short  kimono  jacket  to  match.  I  was  greatly  im- 
pressed with  the  paternal  care  exercised,  both  by  the  nation 
as  well  as  the  teachers,  although  it  is  said  to  be  a  pleasure 
to  teach  Japanese  children  on  account  of  their  good  man- 
ners and  tractability. 

The  patriotism  instilled  into  the  Japanese  youthful  minds 
accounts  in  a  great  measure  for  the  success  of  the  nation 
during  the  past  wars  and  her  prosperity  in  time  of  peace. 
For  this  reason  strikes  rarely  occur  and  socialistic  agita- 
tions are  scarcely  ever  heard  of.  At  every  turn  in  the 
Great  Empire  captured  cannon  or  other  relics  of  war  at- 
test the  valor  and  courage  of  her  sons. 

The  grandeur  and  beauty  of  the  mountain-sides  which 
appeared  before  our  vision  as  we  travelled  up  the  valley  of 
the  Daiya-gawa,  will  permit  me  to  digress  no  longer  from 
the  enchantment  of  the  scenery.  We  had  arranged  our 
visit  to  Nik-ko  so  as  to  arrive  there  after  the  frosts  of  an 
early  autumn,  and  while  this  is  considered  the  saddest  sea- 
son of  the  year,  yet,  in  its  glorious  shades  of  yellow  and 
scarlet,  it  is  incomparably  the  most  glorious. 

The  uniformity  and  smoothness  of  the  foliage  on  the  slop- 
ing sides  of  the  mountain  suggest  the  source  from  which 
the  native  artists  secured  the  models  of  those  exquisitely 
executed  sketches  from  Nature  done  in  cut  velvet.  Farther 
up  the  valley  the  autumnal  changes  become  more  marked 
and  I  doubt  whether  anywhere  in  the  world  a  more  artistic 
or  brilliant  coloring  in  the  various  shades  of  green,  com- 
bined with  yellow,  red,  and  purple  hues  could  be  found. 
Above  us  to  the  right  and  left  arose  lofty  towers,  beetling 
cliffs,  and  fantastic  peaks  while  from  afar  off  on  the  moun- 
tain-sides drifted  musical  notes  from  dozens  of  silvery 
cascades  and  dazzling  waterfalls. 

[223] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

Until  we  reached  Uma-gaeshi,  where  we  left  our  rick- 
shas to  ascend  the  mountain  trail,  the  road  was  paralleled 
by  a  little  tramway  which  to  the  left  passes  on  to  the  rich 
copper  mines  of  Ashio.  Large  numbers  of  little  cars  drawn 
by  black  native  oxen  freighted  with  copper  pigs,  were 
passing  down  to  Nik-ko,  while  others  loaded  with  coke,  coal, 
and  other  supplies  were  going  back  to  the  mines.  The 
Ashio  lodes  are  large  and  rich  and  for  centuries  have  sup- 
plied the  nation  with  this  invaluable  metal.  The  road  from 
Nik-ko  to  Ashio  crosses  the  Hoso-o  Pass,  and  while  rough 
and  steep  in  many  places,  is  practicable  for  rickshas. 

The  view  from  the  little  tea-house  of  Misawa,  which  lies 
one  mile  above  the  ricksha  stable,  is  wildly  picturesque 
and  affords  a  splendid  view  of  the  Hannya  and  Hodo  cas- 
cades. Farther  up  the  zigzag  road  along  the  mountain- 
side enchanting  glimpses  of  the  valley  below  are  obtained, 
and  of  the  rugged  gorge  which  on  the  right  lies  under  the 
protecting  slope  of  Nan-tai-zan. 

The  inexperienced  traveller  who  elects  to  stop  at  the  lit- 
tle tea-houses  en  route  to  enjoy  the  glorious  prospect  these 
sites  afford  must  not  be  dismayed  to  find  at  every  halt  the 
inevitable  tea-pot  and  tray  of  confections  or  cake,  nor  hes- 
itate to  remunerate  his  willing  host  with  the  modest  charge 
of  five  cents  per  guest,  which  n'est  pas  cher,  for  a  glimpse 
anywhere  along  that  delightful  mountain-side. 

We  finally  reached  the  summit,  and  after  a  tramp  of  a 
half  mile  through  an  exquisite  forest  of  majestic  oak,  birch, 
and  maple,  reached  the  lake  which  lies  quietly  nestling  at 
the  foot  of  Mount  Nan-tai-zan,  4,700  feet  above  the  sea. 
The  lake  is  eight  miles  long  by  three  wide  and  is  surrounded 
by  low,  wooded  hills  whose  foliage  is  specially  beautiful 
during  the  early  days  of  autumn.  The  government  very 
wisely  stocked  the  lake  with  salmon,  salmon-trout,  and  the 
iwani,  a  species  of  white  trout,  in  consequence  of  which 
rare  sport  awaits  the  disciple  of  Sir  Izaak  Walton  during 
the  fishing  season.     One  half  mile  to  the  left,  before  reach- 

[224] 


NIK-KO  AND  LAKE  CHUZENJI 

ing  the  lake,  the  magnificent  Kegon  Fall  may  be  seen,  from 
whose  foaming  crest  the  Daiya-gawa  leaps  250  feet  below, 
forming  the  most  magnificent  waterfall  in  the  Empire. 

If  the  tourist  be  sturdy  and  not  pressed  for  time,  he  may 
even  proceed  as  far  as  Lake  Yumoto  which  lies  three  miles 
beyond.  The  road  to  Yumoto  from  Chuzenji  leads  past 
the  lake  for  three  miles,  then  turns  to  the  left  and  crosses 
the  river  a  short  distance  below  the  Dragon's  Head  cas- 
cade. The  coloring  of  the  maples  in  this  vicinity  during 
October  displays  the  richest  and  most  gorgeous  tints  im- 
aginable, and  the  waters  of  the  lake  are  discolored  some- 
what by  the  sulphur  which  the  hot  waters  so  abundantly 
contain.  The  village  of  Yumoto  is  supplied  with  two  good 
hotels,  the  Kanaya  and  the  Namma,  and  excellent  baths 
which  possess  wonderfully  curative  powers  for  rheuma- 
tism and  allied  affections. 

Besides  outings  to  Chuzenji  and  Yumoto,  there  are  many 
interesting  and  picturesque  trips  in  the  vicinity  of  Nik-ko, 
which  would  entertain  the  tourist  for  weeks,  among  which 
may  be  mentioned  the  ascent  of  Nan-tai-zan,  a  visit  to  the 
mist-falling  and  pitch-dark  cascades,  to  Jak-ko,  the  copper 
mines  of  Ashito,  and  many  other  places  which  possess  ex- 
cellent roads  and  equally  beautiful  environment. 

Time  and  tide,  it  is  said,  await  no  man,  and  the  shadow 
from  the  tall  trees  which  fringed  the  lake  warned  us  that 
the  hour  of  return  had  arrived.  We  had  visited  the  far- 
famed  Lake  Chuzenji  and  enjoyed  the  marvels  of  its  au- 
tumn scenery ;  we  had  been  to  sacred  Nan-tai-zan,  had  vis- 
ited the  temples  and  tombs  of  Japan 's  illustrious  dead,  had 
at  last  seen  Nik-ko,  and  as  we  turned  our  steps  toward  the 
mountain  path  which  led  down  to  Uma-gaeshi  where  our 
rickshas  were  waiting,  we  felt  that  from  henceforth  we 
could  use  the  word  "magnificent." 

Before  leaving  Nik-ko  visitors  are  advised  to  return  by 
ricksha  as  far  as  Im-achi,  a  railroad  station  four  miles  up 
the  road.  Such  an  innovation  affords  an  excellent  oppor- 
15  [  225  ] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

tunity  to  enjoy  the  grandeur  of  the  avenue  of  crypto- 
merias,  which  is  seen  at  its  best  that  far.  Trunks  and 
hand-luggage,  however,  should  be  sent  to  the  station  in  ad- 
vance and  checked  to  their  destination.  The  day  after 
our  visit  to  Lake  Chuzenji,  we  turned  our  faces  south- 
ward and  caught  the  train  at  Im-achi  after  a  delightful 
hour's  ride  through  the  great  avenue. 


[226] 


CHAPTER  XXIV 

BRIEF  SKETCH  OF  JAPANESE  HISTORY 

Sketch  of  Japanese  History  —  Largely  Mythological 
in  Character  —  The  Ainos  and  Pit  Dwellers  — 
Jimmu  Tenno,  the  First  Mikado  —  Emperor  Sujin, 
Father  of  Agriculture  —  Empress  Jingo  and  Her 
Son  Ojin  —  Prince  Shotoku  and  Buddhism  —  Feudal- 
ism and  the  Fujiwaras  —  Kiyomori,  Yoshitomo,  and 
yoritomo  —  tokiwa  and  her  son  yoshitsune  —  yori- 
tomo,  the  First  Shogun  —  Capital  at  Kamakura. 

DURING  our  return  to  Yokohama,  the  Major  enter- 
tained us  with  the  following  brief  outline  of  Japan's 
history. 

"Nothing  definite  was  known  of  Japanese  history  until 
the  fifth  century  of  the  Christian  era,  when  the  light  of 
Chinese  civilization  began  to  filter  through  the  country 
from  Korea.  The  government,  during  the  earlier  centuries, 
must  have  been  tribal  in  character  and  no  doubt  remained 
so  long  after  that  celebrated  warrior  and  god,  Jimmu 
Tenno,  had  crushed  and  rendered  tributary  the  wild  tribes 
he  encountered  during  his  famous  march  by  land  and  sea, 
from  the  island  of  Kyushu  to  the  Province  of  Yamato. 

"There  can  be  little  doubt  that  the  accounts  handed 
down  before  Christ  are  largely  mythological  in  character 
and  must  be  accepted  as  a  mixture  of  fact  with  fiction. 
Navigators  from  the  peninsula  of  Korea  and  the  coast  of 
China  who  during  the  preceding  centuries  had  been  driven 
by  adverse  winds  to  the  unfriendly  shores  of  Japan,  re- 

[227] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

turned  with  fabulous  stories  of  a  race  of  gods  who  were  con- 
stantly at  war  with  the  primitive  people  of  the  island.  The 
Ainos,  who  originally  occupied  the  greater  portion  of  the 
mainland,  had  been  gradually  driven  north  by  the  invaders 
until  little  territory  was  left  them  beyond  the  island  of 
Yezo,  across  the  strait  of  Tsugura. 

"During  these  early  centuries  the  country  was  partially 
controlled  by  a  race  of  people  who  claimed  divine  origin 
and  descent  from  the  sun-goddess  Amaterasu,  the  grand- 
mother of  Ninigi,  who  according  to  the  account  of  the  Ko- 
jiki, had  descended  upon  earth  commissioned  with  the 
Sacred  Mirror,  Sacred  Sword  and  Sacred  Stone,  the  three 
sacred  emblems  of  the  Shinto  religion.  In  accordance  with 
the  Kojiki,  Jimmu  Tenno  subjugated  the  wild  tribes  of  Ja- 
pan and,  as  the  first  Mikado,  assumed  control  of  the  country 
in  660  B.C.  It  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  the  art  of  writ- 
ing had  not  been  introduced  into  Japan  before  the  end  of 
the  third  century,  in  consequence  of  which  the  scanty  his- 
torical information  pertaining  to  the  country  had  been 
passed  down  from  generation  to  generation  through  the 
memory  of  man.  Apart  from  the  Kojiki  and  Nihongi  and 
a  few  fragmentary  records  compiled  about  620  a.d.  there 
are  no  historical  writings  from  which  to  draw  information 
on  the  early  history  of  Japan. 

"I  feel  quite  sure  that  the  Japanese  of  to-day  will  not 
take  it  amiss  if  the  historical  student  entertains  a  certain 
amount  of  incredulity  as  to  the  veracity  of  those  highly 
interesting  and  remarkable  records.  There  can  be  little 
doubt,  however,  but  that  they  register  events  created 
through  the  fanciful  invention  of  legend  and  tradition, 
which  like  the  folklore  of  every  race,  contain  many  germs 
of  truth. 

"Jimmu  Tenno,  the  first  earthly  Mikado,  who  was  re- 
ported to  have  appeared  on  the  scene  660  B.C.,  is  regarded 
by  many  historians  as  a  great  Mongolian  conqueror  who 
invaded  the  country  during  the  mythical  age;  others  im- 
agine him  a  fierce  and  adventuresome  Malayan  leader  who 

[228] 


SKETCH  OF  JAPANESE  HISTORY 

arrived  with  the  first  wave  of  emigration  from  the  South 
Sea  Islands  at  an  opportune  moment  to  conquer  the  numer- 
ous discordant  tribes  and  unify  the  nation.  Jimmu  started 
on  his  triumphal  tour  of  conquest  from  the  island  of  Kyu- 
shu, in  the  neighborhood  of  Mount  Kirishima,  upon  which 
his  divine  grandfather  Ninigi  descended  and  founded  his 
capital.  After  many  conflicts  with  the  wild  tribes  he  en- 
countered along  the  shores  of  the  Inland  Sea,  he  landed 
near  the  site  of  Osaka  and  established  his  capital  in  the 
Province  of  Yamato  where  he  finally  died  and  was  buried 
at  the  age  of  137  years.  He  is  known  as  the  'Cyrus  of 
Japan*  and  is  rightfully  regarded  as  the  founder  of  the 
present  dynasty. 

1 '  From  the  reign  of  Jimmu  we  will  pass  on  down  to  Em- 
peror Sujin,  who  is  known  as  the  father  of  Japanese  agri- 
culture and  occupied  the  throne  in  30  B.C.  This  wise  ruler 
built  reservoirs  for  the  collection  of  water  for  the  irrigation 
of  rice,  encouraged  in  every  way  the  growing  industries 
of  the  country  and  for  the  first  time  levied  taxes  for  the 
support  of  the  government.  At  the  age  of  141  and  after 
a  reign  of  ninety-nine  years,  he  turned  the  sceptre  over 
to  his  son  Sujin  who  is  known  as  the  merciful  Emperor. 
At  the  time  of  his  accession  to  the  throne  the  cruel  custom 
of  burying  alive  members  of  the  deceased  Emperor's  fam- 
ily, retainers,  servants,  horses,  and  other  animals  was  in  ex- 
istence. Pits  were  dug  around  the  tomb  and  the  unfortu- 
nates were  buried  in  the  upright  position,  leaving  nothing 
out  except  the  head.  It  is  said  that  the  Emperor  was  so 
afflicted  by  the  agonizing  cries  of  those  buried  with  his 
father,  which  were  kept  up  day  and  night  until  they  died, 
that  he  ordered  in  future  the  substitution  of  clay  figures. 
This  mortuary  custom  was  continued  at  the  burial  of  the 
illustrious  dead  as  late  as  700  a.d.  and  to-day,  in  Korea, 
heroic  figures  in  marble  or  stone  surround  the  entrance  to 
the  tomb  of  the  recently  murdered  Empress.  The  burial 
of  the  royal  household  with  the  dead  Emperor  must  have 
been  customary  with  the  Chinese  also  in  ancient  times  and 

[229] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

was  changed  later  to  the  heroic  figures  in  stone  still  to  be 
seen  at  the  entrance  of  the  Ming  tombs  near  Peking. 

"Among  the  many  acts  of  this  remarkable  ruler  none 
have  affected  the  Japanese  people  and  government  more 
than  the  foundation  of  the  sacred  temple  of  Ise  which  is 
located  in  the  town  of  Yamada,  province  of  Ise.  This  an- 
cient Shinto  temple  contains  that  holy  relic,  the  Sacred 
Mirror,  into  which  the  sun-goddess  Amaterasu  gazed  when 
lured  from  her  cave  of  darkness  where  she  had  hidden  her- 
self on  account  of  the  prank  of  her  mischievous  brother 
Susa-no-o. 

"From  the  point  of  antiquity  and  sanctity  the  holy  tem- 
ple of  Ise  among  the  Japanese  equals  in  veneration  the 
sentiment  of  the  Catholic  world  for  Saint  Peter's  at  Rome. 
The  tourist  who  visits  Ise  will  be  disappointed,  however, 
on  account  of  the  exceeding  plainness  of  the  temple,  and, 
besides,  will  not  be  permitted  to  penetrate  beyond  the  first 
enclosure,  the  interior  being  exclusively  reserved  for  the 
Imperial  family,  priests,  and  important  Japanese  person- 
ages. It  is  said  that  Admiral  Togo  visited  this  temple, 
after  his  successes  against  the  Russians  during  the  recent 
war,  to  worship  at  the  shrine  of  the  Mikado's  ancestors  and 
other  Japanese  deities,  before  returning  to  Tokio  to  re- 
ceive the  great  ovation  prepared  for  him  by  his  fellow  coun- 
trymen. Before  concluding  with  Sujin,  credit  should  be 
given  him  for  the  introduction  of  oranges  into  Japan, 
brought  from  China  under  his  directions. 

"Sujin  was  succeeded  by  his  son  Keiko  71  A.D.,  the  father 
of  the  great  Yamato-dake,  who  to  this  day  is  held  as  a  hero 
of  romance  and  the  subject  of  song.  He  was  sent  to  the 
island  of  Kyushu  to  punish  a  band  of  fierce  and  rebellious 
bandits  led  by  two  brothers  of  great  renown.  Yamato- 
dake  entered  their  camp  in  the  disguise  of  a  young  woman 
and  on  account  of  his  personal  beauty  quickly  won  their 
admiration.  During  the  entertainment  of  the  evening 
which  followed,  and  while  the  feast  was  at  its  height,  the 

[230] 


SKETCH  OF  JAPANESE  HISTORY 

young  prince  drew  from  beneath  the  folds  of  his  dress  a 
short  sword  and  slew  them  both. 

"The  accomplishment  of  this  gallant  feat  quickly  added 
recruits  to  his  banners  and  enabled  him  to  subdue  the  re- 
bellious chieftains  in  the  districts  about  the  straits  of  Shi- 
monoseki  and  finally  to  wage  successful  war  against  the 
fierce  Ainos  of  the  North.  During  his  brief  career  Yamato- 
dake  settled  the  disturbances  throughout  the  land  and  re- 
stored peace  to  his  father's  kingdom.  "While  en  route 
to  the  sacred  shrine  of  Ise  to  offer  thanks  to  the  gods  for 
his  many  successes,  he  was  overtaken  by  a  fatal  disease 
and  died  at  the  age  of  thirty-two. 

"We  will  now  pass  down  to  Emperor  Chuai,  the  husband 
of  that  remarkable  woman,  Jingo  Kogo,  who  assumed  the 
reins  of  government  after  the  death  of  the  Emperor,  200 
a.d.,  as  regent  and  crushed  the  rebellion  on  the  island  of 
Kyushu  which  was  fiercely  burning  at  that  critical  time. 
She  also  brought  to  terms  the  King  of  Korea  after  a  vigor- 
ous campaign  of  three  years,  during  which  period  she  car- 
ried in  her  womb  her  son  Ojin,  deified  later  by  the  Shinto 
religion  as  Hachiman,  the  Great  God  of  War. 

' '  Ojin  ruled  the  country  for  forty  years  and  bequeathed 
the  throne  to  his  son  Nintoku,  who  is  altogether  worthy  of 
mention  in  this  brief  outline  for  the  reason  that  he  is  re- 
membered by  the  Japanese  of  to-day  for  his  self-abnegation 
and  love  of  his  people.  So  much  was  he  affected  by  the 
poverty  of  his  subjects,  it  is  said,  that  he  suspended  all 
taxes  for  such  a  long  period  that  his  income  became  insuf- 
ficient to  repair  the  roof  under  which  he  lived  and  he  was 
thus  unable  to  protect  himself  and  family  against  storms 
and  inclement  weather. 

"From  the  reign  of  Nintoku  down  to  the  sixth  century 
nothing  of  special  importance  occurred,  until  Buddhism 
made  its  appearance.  During  the  reign  of  Keitai  Tenno, 
a.d.  552,  an  ambassador  from  Korea  presented  a  statue  of 
Buddha  to  the  Emperor.    From  this  date  numbers  of  Bud- 

[231] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

dhist  priests,  nuns,  diviners,  and  workmen  educated  in 
building  temples  crossed  over  from  Korea  to  Japan. 

"In  593  the  coronation  of  the  Empress  Suiko  was  cele- 
brated and  marks  the  first  instance  in  the  history  of  Japan 
in  which  a  woman  wore  the  crown.  It  was  during  her 
reign  that  the  great  teacher,  Shotoku  Taishi,  lived;  he  is 
held  as  the  founder  and  promoter  of  Buddhism  in  Japan, 
which  religious  cult  subsequently  exerted  such  a  profound 
influence  on  the  history  and  civilization  of  the  country. 
The  introduction  of  Buddhism  became  the  subject  of  great 
discussion  and  the  cause  of  two  strong  and  bitter  factions, 
the  adherents  of  the  old  religion  of  Shintoism  and  the  pros- 
elytes to  the  new  cult. 

"The  year  following  the  death  of  Shotoku,  622  a.d.,  a 
census  of  Buddhism  was  made  and  there  were  found  to  be 
forty-six  temples  and  1,385  priests  and  nuns.  Many  of  the 
powerful  families  vied  with  one  another  in  building  hand- 
some temples  at  their  own  expense.  The  religion  brought 
with  it  culture,  education,  and  literature,  which  changed 
and  modified  many  of  the  old  characteristics  of  the  people 
and  led  to  the  new  civilization.  A  university,  schools,  and 
the  industrial  arts  followed;  books  on  almanac-making,  as- 
tronomy, geography,  the  art  of  writing  Chinese  charac- 
ters, the  practice  of  composition,  study  of  the  Chinese 
classics  and  history  rapidly  followed  one  another,  so  much 
so  that  the  Japanese  were  considered  a  few  centuries  later 
as  having  descended  from  the  Chinese. 

"Life  at  court  during  that  period  was  so  encompassed 
with  debauchery  and  licentiousness  under  the  new  regime, 
that  it  led  to  effeminacy  on  the  part  of  the  Mikados  and 
the  organization  and  growth  of  powerful  military  families 
who  later  ruled  the  kingdom.  Surrounded  by  an  entour- 
age of  priests,  nuns,  and  gorgeous  temples,  they  had  become 
too  sacred  to  participate  in  the  ordinary  affairs  of  the  gov- 
ernment, hence  the  assistance  of  powerful  militant  families 
was  called  in  to  crush  the  common  enemy  and  fight  the 
battles  of  the  country.     It  was  under  these  conditions,  in 

[232] 


SKETCH  OF  JAPANESE  HISTORY 

668  a.d.,  that  the  powerful  Fujiwara  family  sprang  into 
existence  and  eventually  controlled  the  empire  from  that 
period  until  the  middle  of  the  eleventh  century. 

"The  feudal  system  which  grew  into  prominence  under 
these  conditions  was  destined  to  play  a  very  prominent 
part  in  the  affairs  of  the  nation  for  the  next  ten  centuries. 
In  the  year  880  a.d.  the  office  of  kwambaku  or  generalissimo 
was  created  for  the  family  of  the  Fujiwara  which  had  be- 
come so  powerful  in  the  affairs  of  the  government  that  it 
dictated  the  appointment  and  abdication  of  the  Mikados. 
Moreover  wives  for  the  Mikados  and  royal  princes  were 
for  generations  invariably  taken  from  this  ruling  family 
into  whose  hands  also  had  fallen  all  of  the  offices  of  the 
court.  Many  of  the  Mikados  during  this  time  were  mere 
babes  in  arms,  who  before  arrival  at  the  age  of  adolescence 
were  compelled  to  abdicate  in  order  to  make  way  for  other 
child-emperors,  who  likewise  could  be  influenced  and  set 
aside  at  will  when  the  time  arrived. 

1  ■  The  same  influences  which  had  resulted  in  a  line  of  de- 
bauched and  imbecile  rulers  finally  affected  the  house  of 
Fujiwara,  so  that  in  the  end  it  fell  a  victim  to  the  families 
of  the  Taira  and  Minamoto  which  had  arisen  to  great  power 
at  the  end  of  the  eleventh  century.  Bitter  hostility  fre- 
quently arose  among  the  ruling  families,  some  of  whom  had 
espoused  the  new  religious  cult  while  others  remained  faith- 
ful to  the  faith  of  their  fathers  and  the  "ways  of  the  gods," 
as  Shintoism  was  called. 

"From  now  on  until  the  restoration  the  government  of 
the  Mikado  simply  became  a  shadow  and  finally,  on  account 
of  his  divinity  he  was  considered  too  sacred  to  be  seen  by 
human  eye.  Thus  for  centuries  he  remained  immured  in 
the  walls  of  his  palace  at  Nara  or  Kioto  and  his  face  was 
even  screened  from  the  domestics  and  members  of  his  court. 
As  late  as  1868  the  various  embassies  sent  annually  to  Ki- 
oto from  the  ruling  shogun  were  unable  to  see  more  than 
his  slippered  feet  from  behind  the  curtain  of  his  throne. 

"Other  families  of  historical  importance  rose  between 
[233] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

the  eighth  and  twelfth  centuries,  among  whom  were  the 
Tachibanas  and  Sugawaras.  The  most  noted  representa- 
tive of  the  latter  was  Michizane,  890  a.d.,  who  became  noted 
as  the  adviser  and  councillor  to  the  Mikados  Uda  and 
Daigo.  He  adopted  literature  as  a  profession  and  became  a 
brilliant  scholar  in  Chinese  classics  and  learning.  Kwam- 
baku  ToMhara,  the  leading  member  of  the  Fujiwara  fam- 
ily, became  jealous  of  his  prominence,  so  sent  him  to 
Dazaifu  in  the  island  of  Kyushu  as  viceroy,  which  appoint- 
ment was  regarded  as  a  political  banishment.  He  died 
there  in  903  a.d.,  and  was  subsequently  canonized  under 
the  name  of  Ten j  in  by  the  Shintos.  Michizane  is  held  sa- 
cred to-day  by  the  nation  as  the  patron  saint  of  the  literary 
guild. 

"Japan  had  now  become  a  feudal  camp  and  the  govern- 
ment was  controlled  by  any  chieftain  who  could  wield  the 
greatest  power.  We  have  now  arrived  at  that  most  inter- 
esting period  of  Japanese  history,  namely  the  creation  of 
the  shogunate,  which  occurred  in  1190.  After  the  down- 
fall of  the  Fujiwaras,  the  military  class  became  an 
important  part  of  the  population  and  those  who  had  an 
aptitude  for  arms  gradually  became  distinct  from  the  agri- 
cultural classes  under  the  profession  of  the  samurai.  The 
struggles  between  the  Tairas  and  Fujiwaras  after  the  down- 
fall of  the  latter,  were  transferred  to  the  Minamotos  and 
kept  the  country  in  a  state  of  warfare  for  more  than  a  hun- 
dred years.  During  this  period  gallant  leaders  sprang  up 
from  both  these  families  and  thus  for  a  century  or  more 
the  country  was  alternately  ruled  by  members  of  these  two 
clans. 

"At  this  time  the  Mikados  had  the  power  to  appoint 
their  successors  and  were  allowed  to  name  any  of  the  royal 
princes,  provided  the  appointment  was  acceptable  to  the 
Kwambaku.  On  his  death-bed,  1155  a.d.,  the  Emperor 
Konoe  selected  his  brother  Go-Shirakawa,  who  was  not  the 
lineal  heir  to  the  throne,  and  this  led  to  a  sanguinary  and 
bitter  conflict  known  as  the  war  of  the  red  and  white  ban- 

[234] 


SKETCH  OF  JAPANESE  HISTORY 

ners.  The  Taira  chieftain,  Kiyomori,  espoused  the  cause 
of  Go-Shirakawa,  while  the  Minamoto  family  championed 
the  cause  of  the  son  of  Shutoku  who  was  the  rightful  heir. 
As  a  result  of  these  contending  factions  a  battle  was  fought 
in  1156  A.D.,  resulting  in  a  complete  victory  for  Kiyomori. 

"The  victorious  Taira  chieftain  now  became  very  over- 
bearing and  began  a  career  of  nepotism  which  it  is  said  ex- 
ceeded that  of  the  Fujiwara  family.  He  at  once  banished 
the  retired  Emperor  Shutoku,  his  son  and  all  the  promi- 
nent members  of  the  Minamoto  family  and  through  his 
harsh  treatment  generally  offended  those  who  had  assisted 
in  vanquishing  his  enemies.  The  conduct  and  arrogance 
of  Kiyomori  grew  so  unbearable,  as  his  power  and  author- 
ity increased,  that  he  soon  became  the  subject  of  a 
conspiracy  among  his  best  friends. 

"Yoshitomo  of  the  Minamoto  clan  conspired  with  all  the 
members  of  his  family  and  the  declining  Fujiwaras  to  over- 
throw the  arrogant  Taira,  but  failed  in  his  plans  and  fled 
to  escape  death.  Besides  Yoritomo,  by  his  legal  wife,  Yo- 
shitomo had  three  sons  by  a  concubine  named  Tokiwa,  a 
woman  of  great  beauty  and  the  mother  of  that  celebrated 
hero  Yoshitsune.  In  order  to  escape  the  vengeance  of  the 
implacable  and  cruel  Kiyomori  who  desired  to  destroy  her 
children  because  they  were  the  sons  of  Yoshitomo,  she 
fled  through  a  snowstorm  at  night  carrying  the  infant 
Yoshitsune  in  her  arms,  while  the  other  two  pattered  along 
at  her  side.  The  incident  has  been  recorded  in  poetry  and 
song  for  ages  and  has  been  a  favorite  subject  for  native 
artists  of  the  romantic  school. 

1 '  Several  of  the  sons  of  Yoshitomo  were  put  to  death,  but 
the  life  of  that  wonderful  genius,  soldier,  and  ruler,  Yori- 
tomo, who  was  destined  to  become  the  first  shogun  of  Ja- 
pan, was  saved  by  the  mother-in-law  of  Kiyomori  and  placed 
in  the  charge  of  Hojo-Tokimasa,  who  became  the  head  of 
the  great  Hojo  family  which  ruled  Japan  for  one  and  a 
third  centuries  after  the  death  of  Yoritomo. 

"During  the  entire  shogunate,  which  began  in  1192  and 
[235] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

continued  until  1868,  the  Mikado  was  acknowledged  as  the 
theoretical  head  of  the  government  and  descendant  of  the 
sun-goddess.  There  never  was  any  question  as  to  which 
was  the  real  Emperor,  the  Mikado  or  the  shogun,  although 
the  former  for  years  was  an  infant  in  arms,  a  shadow  of  a 
king,  amid  an  entourage  of  women  and  priests  and  liable 
at  any  time  to  be  set  aside  by  the  shogun-dictator  and  later 
the  Ho  jo  regents,  whenever  they  considered  it  in  their  inter- 
est to  do  so. 

"We  have  noted  that  the  beautiful  Tokiwa  with  the 
three  sons  of  Yoshitomo  fled  to  escape  the  wrath  of  the 
tyrant  Kwambaku  Kiyomori  who  intended  to  put  him  to 
death.  The  great  historical  interest  which  centres  around 
Yoshitsune,  her  youngest  boy,  compels  me  to  refer  to  her 
again.  During  her  flight  and  while  reduced  to  the  greatest 
destitution  she  met  a  band  of  the  Taira  forces  from  whom 
she  learned  that  her  mother  was  held  as  a  hostage  by  Kiy- 
omori. A  filial  sense  of  duty  compelled  her  to  return  at 
once  and  beg  mercy  at  the  hands  of  the  Kwambaku,  rely- 
ing upon  her  beauty  and  forlorn  condition  to  arouse  his 
sympathetic  interest  and  save  both  mother  and  children. 
Softened  by  her  beauty  and  at  the  same  time  responding 
to  the  favorable  advice  of  his  court,  Kiyomori  set  her 
mother  at  liberty,  sent  her  sons  to  various  monasteries  for 
instruction  and  accepted  Tokiwa  as  a  member  of  his  harem. 

"Yoshitsune  spent  many  years  in  study  and  warfare  and 
finally  developed  into  a  gallant  and  accomplished  soldier, 
who  played  the  principal  part  in  many  of  the  battles  which 
occurred  during  the  leadership  of  his  half-brother,  Yori- 
tomo,  and  to-day  stands  in  the  hearts  of  his  countrymen 
as  one  of  their  greatest  national  heroes.  The  closing  inci- 
dents connected  with  the  life  of  the  relentless  tyrant  Kwam- 
baku Kiyomori  are  filled  with  undying  historical  interest 
and  associated  with  numerous  sanguinary  conflicts  in  which 
many  men  of  strong  and  determined  character  took  part. 
On  the  death  of  Yoshitomo,  his  son,  Yoritomo,  by  his  legal 
wife,  had  been  banished  to  Izu  and  committed  to  the  care 

[236] 


SKETCH  OF  JAPANESE  HISTORY 

01  the  Taira  clan.  On  coming  of  age  Yoritomo  married 
the  daughter  of  Tokimasa,  the  leader  of  the  great  Hojo 
family  which,  as  has  been  stated  before,  usurped  the  power 
of  the  throne  as  regents  after  his  death  and  ruled  the  coun- 
try until  its  downfall  in  1333  through  the  Ashikagas." 


[237] 


CHAPTER  XXV 

BRIEF  SKETCH  OF  JAPANESE  HISTORY- 
CONTINUED 

The  Tairas  and  Minamotos  —  Yoshitsune  and  Mune- 
mori  —  The  Naval  Engagement  of  Dan-no-ura  —  The 
Dual  Government  —  Death  of  Yoritomo  —  Eleva- 
tion of  the  Hojo  Family  —  Defeat  of  Kublai  Khan 
—  Masashige  and  Nitta  Yoshisada  —  The  Ashikaga 
Family  —  The  Introduction  of  Nobunaga,  Hideyoshi, 
and  Ieyasu  —  The  Tokugawa  Dynasty  —  Arrival  of 
Commodore  Perry  —  Feist  Treaty  with  the  United 
States  —  Surrender  of  Feudalism  and  the  Satsuma 
Rebellion  —  War  with  China  and  Acquisition  of  For- 
mosa. 

WE  have  now  arrived  at  that  period  of  Japanese 
history  'when  knighthood  was  in  flower,'  and 
feudal  lords  ruled  supreme.  Since  the  legendary  days  of 
Jimmu  Tenno  the  Japanese  people  has  been  a  race  of  warri- 
ors and  accustomed  to  deadly  conflict  on  untold  fields  of 
sanguinary  battle.  For  two  thousand  years  the  military 
spirit  has  been  inbred  into  their  very  marrow  and  taught 
by  heroic  mothers  from  the  moment  they  were  able  to  lisp 
the  sacred  name  of  Mikado.  For  ages  the  object  of  life 
was  to  die  for  Dai-Nippon  and  to  join  the  heavenly  host 
of  warriors  whose  martial  and  protective  spirits  hovered 
over  their  sacred  soil.  The  spirit  of  national  justice,  a 
sense  of  right  and  wrong,  was  beginning  to  crystallize 
among  the  people  and  Kiyomori  began  to  realize  that  he 
had  far  exceeded  his  prerogative  as  Kwambaku  and  ruler. 

[238] 


SKETCH  OF  JAPANESE  HISTORY 

Headed  by  Yoritomo  and  supported  by  the  powerful  Hojo 
family  in  his  declining  years,  he  saw  the  war  clouds  rising 
in  the  East  and  West  and  on  his  death-bed  warned  his 
councillors  against  the  growing  strength  of  the  young 
Minamoto  chief.  His  last  words  before  expiring,  it  is  said, 
expressed  the  regret  that  he  had  not  seen  the  head  of  Yor- 
itomo, that  formidable  spirit  who  was  destined  to  end 
forever  the  day  of  Taira  leadership. 

"It  would  be  impossible  in  this  brief  sketch  to  record 
the  many  battles  which  occurred  before  Yoritomo  suc- 
ceeded in  overcoming  the  Taira  forces  and  establishing 
himself  firmly  on  the  throne  as  shogun  or  Emperor,  as  erro- 
neously called.  On  the  death  of  Kiyomori  his  son  Mune- 
mori  became  head  of  the  Taira  clan  and  assembled  his 
forces  against  Yoritomo,  the  head  of  the  Minamotos.  With 
the  assistance  of  his  half-brother,  Yoshitsune,  and  cousin, 
Yoshinaka,  both  of  whom  commanded  large  armies,  Yori- 
tomo had  little  difficulty  in  overcoming  the  forces  of  Mune- 
mori  and  in  the  succeeding  battles  literally  swept  the  once 
powerful  Taira  family  off  the  face  of  the  earth.  In  an 
engagement  on  the  Nakasendo  Road  not  far  from  Kioto 
the  Taira  army  under  Munemori  was  completely  defeated 
and,  with  the  reigning  Mikado  Antoku  and  entire  court, 
crossed  over  to  the  neighboring  island  of  Shikoku. 

"Curiously  enough  Yoshinaka,  who  had  been  very  suc- 
cessful in  waging  war  against  Munemori,  imagined  himself 
more  powerful  than  his  leader  Yoritomo  and  proceeded 
to  Kioto  where  he  declared  himself  shogun.  Yoshitsune, 
the  brilliant  soldier  and  half-brother  to  Yoritomo,  was 
sent  in  haste  to  Kioto  to  punish  Yoshinaka  for  his 
audacity  and  disloyalty,  and  in  a  battle  near  Lake  Biwa 
administered  to  that  refractory  chief  a  most  overwhelming 
defeat  which  resulted  in  his  committing  hara-kiri. 

"Yoshitsune  followed  up  his  successes  by  crossing  over 
the  Inland  Sea  in  order  to  destroy  the  remaining  forces 
of  Munemori  who  had  established  the  throne  of  the  Mikado 
in  the  province  of  Sanuki.     On  hearing  of  the  approaching 

[239] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

army  of  Yoshitsune,  who  had  embarked  in  700  junks,  Mune- 
mori  endeavored  to  escape  in  his  fleet  of  500  junks  and  pro- 
ceeded with  all  haste  through  the  Inland  Sea  towards  the 
island  of  Kyushu.  Unfortunately  he  was  overtaken  at 
Dan-no-ura,  near  the  village  of  Shimonoseki,  in  the  narrow 
straits  between  Kyushu  and  the  mainland,  where  in  a  naval 
engagement  which  followed,  the  entire  fleet  of  Munemori 
was  destroyed  and  every  one  put  to  death  or  swallowed  up 
in  the  waters  of  the  Inland  Sea.  Having  vanquished  his 
enemies  and  established  peace  once  more  Yoritomo  pro- 
ceeded to  Kamakura,  where  he  established  his  capital  and 
organized  the  feudal  system  which  prevailed  in  Japan  un- 
til the  year  1868. 

"With  Yoritomo,  in  1192,  begins  the  dual  government 
of  Japan  which  continued  with  certain  modifications  until 
the  resignation  of  Yoshinobu,  the  last  of  the  Tokugawa 
shoguns,  in  1868.  In  addition  to  Yoritomo  'a  great  genius 
as  a  military  leader  he  was  a  man  of  unusual  intelligence 
and  administrative  ability.  Under  his  rulership  the  Japa- 
nese people  and  government  made  tremendous  advances 
in  the  arts  and  sciences,  agriculture  and  commerce.  He 
made  many  reforms  in  the  administration  of  the  govern- 
ment, levied  taxes  for  the  support  of  the  army,  established 
courts  of  justice  and  forbade  the  monks  and  priests,  who 
had  become  powerful  and  arrogant,  to  bear  arms  and  se- 
cured peace  for  the  first  time  in  centuries. 

"Yoritomo  died,  in  the  fifty-third  year  of  his  age,  in 
1198  as  the  result  of  a  fall  from  his  horse,  while  inspecting 
the  construction  of  a  bridge  over  the  Sagami  River.  Be- 
fore his  death  he  aspired  to  the  construction  of  the  Dai 
Butsu  at  Kamakura,  and  began  the  subscription  for  that 
unparalleled  work  of  art  which,  unprotected  for  centuries 
under  the  blue  canopy  of  heaven,  has  entranced  the  thou- 
sands of  visitors  who  annually  assemble  there  to  gaze  into 
that  wonderful  face,  which  illustrates  the  spiritual  peace 
that  comes  from  perfect  knowledge  and  subjugation  of  all 
passions.     Unfortunately  for  the  line  of  Yoritomo  his  two 

[240] 


SKETCH  OF  JAPANESE  HISTORY 

sons,  Yoriiji  and  Sanetomo,  did  not  hold  the  shogunate 
long  after  the  death  of  their  father.  The  elder  was  re- 
quired to  abdicate  by  his  powerful  grandfather,  Hojo 
Tokimasa,  and  was  later  assassinated.  Sanetomo  now  suc- 
ceeded to  the  shogunate  but  was  killed  by  his  nephew  Ichi- 
man,  the  son  of  Yoriiji,  who  held  him  responsible  for  his 
father's  death,  and  thus  ended  forever  the  family  of  one 
of  the  greatest  natural-born  leaders  and  soldiers  Japan 
ever  produced. 

"The  Hojo  family  now  became  elevated  to  its  highest 
pinnacle  of  power  and  ruled  with  a  rod  of  iron  the  juvenile 
shoguns  appointed  to  that  position.  The  shoguns  during 
this  time  were  the  sons  of  the  Mikados  or  royal  princes  sent 
from  Kioto  and  had  practically  nothing  to  do  with  the  gov- 
ernment. The  situation  was  as  unique  as  it  was  absurd. 
The  Hojos,  who  never  aspired  to  the  position  of  shogun, 
controlled  both  the  shogun  court  at  Kamakura  and  the  Mi- 
kado's court  at  Kioto,  and  appointed  or  removed  the  in- 
cumbents of  these  two  high  offices  at  will. 

"About  this  time  Kublai  Khan,  who  had  conquered  the 
Lung  dynasty  in  China,  sent  ambassadors  to  Japan  de- 
manding subjugation  of  the  country.  Several  embassies 
were  received  and  indignantly  dismissed.  In  answer  to 
the  second  or  third  embassies  their  heads  were  returned  as 
reply,  whereupon  Kublai  Khan  sent  an  army  of  100,000 
men  which  was  landed  on  the  coast  of  Kyushu  near  the 
seaport  town  of  Daizafui.  Tokimune  with  a  large  land  and 
naval  force  was  sent  to  drive  the  invaders  from  the  shore, 
and  with  the  timely  assistance  of  a  typhoon  which  de- 
stroyed the  enemy's  fleet,  succeeded  in  sealing  the  doom  of 
the  Mongolian  army. 

"The  Hojos  as  regents  controlled  the  government  of 
Japan  from  1199,  the  date  of  Yoritomo's  death,  until  1333, 
at  which  time  the  family  had  lost  all  power  through  de- 
bauchery and  effeminacy.  A  most  singular  condition  of 
affairs  now  began  to  exist;  even  children  were  appointed 
to  the  position  of  regent,  while  the  real  power  and  auton- 
l»  [  241  ] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

omy  of  the  government  was  controlled  by  unscrupulous 
and  plotting  menials.  And  thus  during  the  decadent 
period  of  the  Ho  jo  family  we  find  practically  three  nom- 
inal heads  to  the  government,  the  Mikado  who  had  become 
the  shadow  king  and  head  of  the  spiritual  government, 
the  shogun  now  represented  by  some  irresponsible  prince- 
ling of  the  royal  family,  and  the  child-regent,  the  tool 
of  the  court  inferiors. 

"It  is  not  to  be  wondered  at  therefore  that  conspiracies 
were  organized  to  overthrow  the  declining  Hojo  family. 
Kusunoki  Masashige  and  Nitta  Yoshisada,  two  great  gen- 
erals and  patriots  held  in  grateful  memory  by  a  patriotic 
country  to-day,  raised  armies  and  marched  against  the  Hojo 
forces  which  were  strongly  intrenched  at  the  capital  of 
Kamakura.  After  a  desperate  battle  which  raged  for  days 
around  the  ancient  capital,  the  rebellious  forces  won  the 
day  and  put  down  forever  the  power  of  the  Hojos  who 
had  committed  the  unpardonable  crime  of  making  war 
against  the  Imperial  standard. 

"In  dispensing  the  gifts  of  the  forfeited  fiefs  to  the  vic- 
torious leaders  the  new  Mikado  unwittingly  bestowed  larger 
favors  on  the  Ashikaga  family  than  on  the  families  of 
Kusonoki  and  Nitta  and,  moreover,  the  Ashikagas  charged 
Nitta  with  disloyalty  to  the  Mikado.  These  causes  led  to 
feuds  and  finally  a  battle  in  which  both  families  of  the 
Kusonoki  and  Nitta  were  vanquished  and  the  Ashikagas 
left  in  uninterrupted  control.  During  these  disturbances, 
1336,  there  were  two  ruling  dynasties  of  Mikados,  known 
as  the  Northern  and  Southern.  The  Southern  dynasty 
lasted  until  1374,  when  it  terminated  by  reason  of  the  ab- 
dication of  the  Mikado. 

"The  Ashikaga  family  ruled  until  1562,  by  which  time 
like  their  predecessors  they  had  grown  effeminate  through 
licentious  living.  Many  of  their  representatives  in  the 
course  of  their  control  had  been  men  of  distinguished 
character  and  ability,  however,  and  had  left  their  impress 
on  the  age.    A  number  of  them  were  men  of  elegance  and 

[242] 


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SKETCH  OF  JAPANESE  HISTORY 

culture  and  patrons  of  painting  and  literature.  They 
encouraged  the  art  of  lacquer  and  the  manufacture  of  por- 
celain and  built  temples  and  palaces.  Ashikaga  Yoshi- 
mitsu,  who  was  shogun  from  1368  to  1393,  built  the 
Buddhist  monastery  of  Kin-ka-kuji  and  the  golden  pavilion 
near  Kioto.  Another  one  of  the  Ashikagas  instituted  the 
curious  custom  of  the  tea  ceremonies  which  became  the 
fashionable  craze  at  court  for  centuries.  The  last  Ashi- 
kaga shogun  was  deposed  in  1573  by  Nobunaga  who  under- 
took the  duties  of  the  position  without  the  title,  which  re- 
mained vacant  until  that  great  military  character  appeared 
upon  the  scene,  Hideyoshi,  the  Napoleon  of  'Japan. 

"In  the  discussion  of  the  establishment  of  Eomanism 
in  Japan  and  persecutions  of  Christianity  which  occurs 
in  a  previous  chapter,  the  three  great  military  characters 
of  the  end  of  the  fifteenth  century  and  beginning  of  the 
sixteenth,  namely,  Nobunaga,  Ieyasu,  and  Hideyoshi  have 
been  described,  as  well  as  the  historical  points  of  interest 
during  that  time.  It  will  be  remembered  that  Hideyoshi 
in  1587  issued  an  edict  ordering  that  all  religious  teachers 
should  leave  Japan  on  learning  of  the  plots  and  intrigues 
of  the  Jesuit  priests  to  win  over  the  people  with  a  view  to 
the  conquest  of  the  country  by  the  Portuguese;  also  that 
in  1606  Ieyasu  again  called  attention  to  Hideyoshi 's  pre- 
vious orders  on  the  subject  which  had  not  been  obeyed, 
and  again  in  1614  issued  a  more  stringent  one  himself  in 
which  he  directed  not  only  that  all  of  the  Catholic  priests 
and  teachers  should  leave  Japan,  but  that  all  of  their 
churches  should  be  destroyed  and  the  native  proselytes 
compelled  to  recant  under  pain  of  death. 

"Ieyasu  did  not  live  long  enough  to  see  this  terrible 
and  far-reaching  order  carried  out  for  he  died  in  1616,  but 
his  grandson  and  successor,  Iemitsu,  not  only  carried  out 
his  grandfather's  instructions  with  the  most  cruel  and 
brutal  thoroughness  but  sealed  the  country  completely  from 
the  outside  world  for  two  centuries  and  a  half,  during 
which  period  there  was  no  intercourse  whatever  with  any 

[243] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

foreign  nation  except  with  the  Chinese  and  Dutch  traders, 
who  were  allowed  to  enter  the  harbor  of  Nagasaki,  under 
guard  and  to  remain  there  practically  as  commercial  prison- 
ers. From  the  death  of  Ieyasu,  1616,  until  the  arrival  of 
Commodore  Perry,  1853,  Japan  enjoyed  under  the  Toku- 
gawa  shogunate  an  interval  of  profound  peace.  Few  of 
the  descendants  of  Ieyasu  impressed  themselves  on  the 
country  or  left  marks  of  their  administration.  Iemitsu, 
the  third  Tokugawa  shogun,  required  the  daimios  to  spend 
six  months  of  the  year  in  the  capital  of  Yedo  and  to  leave 
their  wives  as  hostages  during  the  remaining  six  months 
of  absence.  Japan,  during  this  period,  reached  the  acme  of 
her  greatness  in  the  ways  of  the  arts,  sciences,  and  liter- 
ature. Metal  workers  in  bronze,  steel,  and  iron  excelled, 
and  the  equal  of  tempered  steel  blades  has  never  been 
reached  since  then. 

"From  the  beginning  of  the  peace  established  by  the 
Tokugawas,  1600,  the  population  increased  with  great  ra- 
pidity and  reached  its  maximum  about  1700.  From  that 
time  the  population  remained  in  statu  quo  or  decreased. 
This  condition  resulted  from  a  closure  of  the  country  to 
foreigners,  pestilential  diseases  such  as  small-pox,  dysen- 
tery, typhus-fever,  and  other  contagious  diseases,  and  earth- 
quakes, fires,  and  floods.  It  is  said  that  during  some  years 
the  population  decreased  from  two  to  one  million  souls. 
It  is  recorded  that  in  1792  the  population  was  26,891,441 
while  in  1846  it  was  only  24,907,625.  In  1732  the  register 
showed  a  population  of  26,621,816,  which  indicates  that 
the  population  remained  stationary  during  a  century. 

"Under  the  Tokugawa  dynasty  the  daimios  were  the 
territorial  lords  or  barons  and  corresponded  to  the  knights 
or  baronets  of  English  history  during  the  Middle  Ages. 
They  varied  in  personal  influence,  military  strength,  and 
territorial  domain  and  were  assessed  by  the  central  gov- 
ernment in  proportion  to  their  power  and  landed  posses- 
sions. The  daimios  were  divided  into  three  classes,  namely : 
lords  of  provinces,  lords  of  smaller  districts,  and  lords  of 

[244] 


SKETCH  OF  JAPANESE  HISTORY 

castles,  never  at  any  time  exceeding  more  than  three  hun- 
dred in  number.  Besides  the  daimios,  there  was  an  in- 
ferior class  of  nobility  known  as  hatamoto,  which  may  be 
classed  with  the  landed  gentry  of  England.  Of  this  class 
there  were  about  2,000.  There  was  still  a  lower  class  of 
gentry  and  inferior  to  the  hatamoto,  known  as  the  gokenin, 
who  numbered  about  5,000  and  occupied  the  subordinate 
positions.  Immediately  below  the  gokenin  came  the  samu- 
rai, the  fighting  men  and  retainers  of  the  daimios.  Below 
the  samurai  followed,  in  the  order  given,  the  farmers,  arti- 
sans, and  merchants,  and  still  a  fourth  class  of  social  out- 
casts and  pariahs,  known  as  etas. 

"When  Commodore  Perry  arrived  in  the  Bay  of  Yedo 
in  1853  he  found  the  government  tottering  and  almost  on 
the  point  of  dissolution.  The  principal  causes  which  had 
led  to  this  condition  resulted  from  the  attitude  assumed 
against  foreign  nations.  By  its  exclusive  policy  Japan 
had  lost  in  the  race  of  material  progress  and  industrial 
development  with  other  countries,  not  only  in  the  economics 
of  everyday  life,  but  in  the  organization  and  armament  of 
their  army  and  navy.  While  other  nations  were  using 
modern  firearms  they  were  still  adhering  to  bows,  arrows, 
spears,  and  matchlock. 

' '  The  magnitude  assumed  by  the  whale  fishery  of  the  Pa- 
cific in  which  the  United  States  was  interested,  the  open- 
ing of  China  to  foreign  trade  on  account  of  the  opium  war, 
and  the  development  of  California  through  the  discovery  of 
gold,  made  a  treaty  with  Japan  obligatory  in  order  to  se- 
cure coal  from  their  rich  coal  deposits  for  use  of  our  ves- 
sels engaged  in  Oriental  commerce.  Many  Europeans 
were  also  desirous  of  making  treaties  with  Japan  and  had 
for  some  years  been  knocking  at  her  doors  in  vain.  Com- 
modore Perry  was  accompanied  by  several  ships  of  war 
when  he  first  arrived  in  the  harbor  of  Yedo  and  by  ten 
when  he  returned  the  following  year,  besides  a  tremendous 
cargo  of  presents  for  the  Mikado  and  shogun  in  the  way 
of  modern  agricultural  and  mechanical  inventions  among 

[245] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

which  was  a  railroad  engine  and  enough  rail  to  lay  a  road 
track  a  mile  long. 

"After  the  presentation  of  President  Fillmore's  message, 
the  shogun  sent  a  round-robin  to  all  the  powerful  daimios 
asking  an  expression  of  opinion  regarding  the  treaty,  re- 
ceiving in  return,  as  a  rule,  opinions  opposing  such  action. 
In  spite  of  this  opposition  and  mainly  through  the  influ- 
ence of  that  far-seeing  and  intelligent  adviser,  Li  Kamon- 
no-Kami,  subsequently  assassinated  on  account  of  his  lib- 
eral views,  the  treaty  was  signed  in  March,  1854,  causing 
the  most  intense  excitement  throughout  the  land.  The 
dormant  feeling  of  national  hatred  and  antipathy  was 
lighted  up  anew  and  thousands  of  samurai  flocked  to  Yedo 
to  offer  their  services  against  the  Western  barbarians.  In 
making  the  treaty  a  bitter  opposition  against  the  shogun 
was  aroused  amongst  the  adherents  of  the  Imperial  throne 
and  hundreds  of  the  armed  leaders  who  desired  Japan  for 
the  Japanese  only,  including  the  powerful  lords  of  Sat- 
suma,  Choshu,  Hizen,  Tosa,  and  Mito. 

"The  first  treaty  granted  the  opening  of  the  port  of 
Shimoda  at  once,  and  of  Hakodate  a  year  later.  Great 
Britain,  France,  Russia,  and  the  Netherlands  followed  suit 
and  also  applied  for  treaties.  Two  strong  political  parties, 
the  pros  and  cons,  arose  in  Japan  as  a  result  of  the  open 
door,  immediately  followed  by  great  disorder  and  blood- 
shed. Many  indignities  were  heaped  upon  the  foreign  ele- 
ment, sent  to  represent  the  foreign  governments,  and  many 
of  them  were  dangerously  wounded  or  killed.  Samurai 
became  ronin  in  order  to  take  a  hand  in  these  assassina- 
tions without  involving  their  lords.  Parties  arose  against 
the  shogun  and  his  councillors  and  sedition  prevailed 
throughout  the  land.  It  was  during  the  years  1867  and 
1868  that  the  revolution  occurred,  as  a  result  of  which  the 
Mikado  was  restored  to  the  actual  throne  after  the  lapse  of 
700  years. 

"Now  followed  the  surrender  of  feudalism  and  the  large 
domains  of  the  daimios,  the  Europeanizing  of  Japan,  the 

[246] 


SKETCH  OF  JAPANESE  HISTORY 

opening  of  the  mint,  the  building  of  railways,  the  estab- 
lishment of  telegraphic  communication,  the  introduction 
of  vaccination,  the  European  calendar  and  dress,  photog- 
raphy, meat  eating,  the  end  of  the  persecution  of  the  Chris- 
tians, the  organization  of  steamship  companies,  of  the 
Bourse  and  Chamber  of  Commerce,  and  of  the  educational 
system.  Later  occurred  the  Higo  and  Satsuma  rebellions 
of  1876  and  1877,  annexation  of  the  Loochoos,  the  crea- 
tion of  a  titled  aristocracy,  the  organization  of  a  consti- 
tutional government,  the  construction  of  a  modern  fleet, 
the  organization  of  an  army  on  the  model  of  Germany,  the 
war  with  China  in  1894-5  and  Boxer  Expedition  of  1900. 

"Before  entering  upon  the  details  of  the  war  with  China, 
it  is  necessary  to  review  in  part  Japan's  relations  with 
Korea  during  the  past  hundred  years.  As  far  back  as  the 
seventeenth  century,  Korea  sent  tributary  missions  annu- 
ally both  to  China  and  Japan,  and  in  a  measure  recognized 
the  suzerainty  of  both  these  nations. 

"Prom  an  early  date  in  the  seventies  until  war  was  de- 
clared in  1894  both  China  and  Japan  were  at  liberty  to 
keep  troops  in  the  Hermit  Kingdom  under  the  provisions 
of  the  Tientsin  Convention,  which  permitted  these  two  na- 
tions to  send  armed  forces  to  Korea  whenever  the  security 
of  the  country  or  its  interests  demanded  such  intervention. 
Two  strong  political  parties  existed  in  Korea  at  this  time, 
the  Conservatives  and  the  Progressives,  the  former  being 
pro-Chinese,  while  the  latter  was  pro-Japanese. 

"In  the  year  1893  the  Conservative  Party  requested 
troops  from  China  in  order  to  suppress  a  religious  insur- 
rection which  had  arisen.  Before  sending  these  forces, 
however,  and  in  compliance  with  the  provisions  of  the  Tien- 
tsin Convention,  China  informed  Japan  of  her  intentions 
but  unfortunately  designated  Korea  as  her  protectorate. 
This  undiplomatic  insinuation  proved  to  be  the  casus  belli, 
for  without  further  ado  Japan  sent  troops  to  Korea  in 
July,  1894,  and  not  only  took  possession  of  the  capital  city, 
Seoul,  but  of  the  royal  palace  and  the  king  as  well. 

[247] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

"War  was  declared  August  1,  although  Captain  Togo, 
afterwards  the  famous  Admiral,  in  accordance  with  the 
Japanese  policy  sank  the  Chinese  ship  Kow-Shing  on  July 
25,  a  week  before  its  declaration.  Every  one  prognosti- 
cated at  the  time  that  the  Japanese  pygmies  would  be  swept 
off  the  face  of  the  earth  by  the  Sleeping  Giant  across  the 
Yellow  Sea,  and  that  the  land  of  the  Rising  Sun  henceforth 
would  become  tributary  to  the  Flowery  Kingdom.  On  the 
same  day  that  Togo  sank  the  Chinese  transport  Kow-Shing, 
General  Oshima  sallied  forth  from  Seoul  and  confronted 
the  Chinese  troops  in  a  strongly  fortified  position  near 
Asan  where  he  gained  a  signal  victory  February  28.  A 
few  weeks  later,  on  historic  grounds  near  Ping- Yang,  Sep- 
tember 15,  the  Japanese  forces  broke  up  the  Chinese  con- 
tingent assembled  there  and  drove  them  beyond  the  Yalu. 

1 '  It  was  on  the  seventeenth  of  September,  two  days  later, 
that  the  great  naval  engagement  occurred  which  estab- 
lished the  supremacy  of  Japan  as  a  naval  power  in 
the  Far  East.  The  Chinese,  under  Admiral  Ting,  lined  up 
with  ten  vessels  near  Haiyang  Island  against  the  Japanese, 
under  Admiral  Ito,  with  a  flying  squadron  of  four  cruisers, 
and  a  main  squadron  of  inferior  strength  and  steaming 
power.  By  superior  seamanship  and  tactics  the  Japanese 
outmanoeuvred  the  Chinese,  broke  up  their  formation  and 
succeeded  in  dispersing  their  fleet  after  the  latter  had  lost 
four  ships  besides  one  driven  ashore.  The  Japanese  lost 
no  vessels,  although  the  admiral's  flagship  was  severely 
injured.  This  conflict  settled  future  naval  engagements 
for  that  war  and  left  the  high  seas  under  Japanese  control. 

1  ■  The  land  tactics  pursued  by  the  Japanese  after  crossing 
the  Yalu  in  1894-5  were  almost  identical  with  those  em- 
ployed against  the  Russians  in  1904r-5.  A  portion  of  the 
army  was  sent  north,  but  rested  before  reaching  Mukden 
to  await  the  results  of  the  siege  of  Port  Arthur  which  fell 
after  a  few  days'  fighting.  The  war  was  finally  closed 
after  the  capture  by  the  Japanese  of  Wei-hai-wei,  where 
the  majority  of  the  Chinese  fleet  had  taken  refuge.     Seeing 

[248] 


SKETCH  OF  JAPANESE  HISTORY 

that  further  resistance  was  futile,  after  the  loss  of  nearly- 
all  of  the  ships  in  the  harbor  as  well  as  the  forts,  Admiral 
Ting  surrendered  and  committed  suicide.  The  Chinese 
generals  on  Liu  Kieng  Islands  did  likewise.  In  the  mean- 
while the  Japanese  army  in  Manchuria  pushed  as  far  north 
as  New-Chwang  and  Liao-Yang,  driving  the  Chinese  before 
them  and  finally  ended  the  war  with  the  engagement 
at  Tien-Chwang-tai,  where  the  enemy  was  irretrievably 
defeated. 

"As  a  result  of  the  disasters  which  followed  the  Chinese 
arms  on  land  and  sea,  an  embassy  from  the  Flowery  King- 
dom, headed  by  Li  Hung  Chang,  met  representatives  from 
Japan  at  Shimonoseki,  with  plenary  powers  to  arrange  a 
treaty.  Unfortunately,  a  misguided,  fanatical  crank  at- 
tempted to  assassinate  the  great  Chinese  statesman,  March 
24,  but  happily  only  succeeded  in  causing  a  slight  wound 
on  the  cheek.  Negotiations  were  suspended  for  a  few 
weeks,  but  were  finally  resumed  and  the  treaty  was  ratified 
and  signed  on  April  17,  Japan  stipulated  an  indemnity 
of  300,000,000  taels,  with  the  cession  of  Formosa,  the  Pes- 
cadores Islands,  and  the  Peninsula  of  Liaotung,  including 
Port  Arthur. 

"The  powers  at  once  became  fearful  that  possession  of 
Port  Arthur,  the  'Gibraltar  of  the  East,'  by  Japan,  would 
give  that  nation  too  much  influence  with  China  and  re- 
quested that  the  cession  of  Liaotung  Peninsula  be  omitted 
from  the  treaty.  There  was  nothing  for  Japan  to  do  at 
the  time  but  concede  to  the  wishes  of  the  great  powers,  Rus- 
sia, France,  and  Germany,  although  it  was  known  that 
Russia  had  her  eye  on  Liaotung  Province  and  the  fortress. 
Indeed  it  was  but  a  few  years  later,  that  Russia  leased  the 
peninsula  for  twenty-five  years  and  began  without  delay 
to  strengthen  the  fortifications  around  Port  Arthur.  She 
also  began  the  construction  of  the  railroad  from  Harbin  to 
Dalny,  which  was  known  as  the  ice-free  port  of  Manchuria. 

"Although  the  blow  was  exceedingly  humiliating  to  the 
entire  nation  and  resulted  in  great  excitement  with  mob 

[249] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

violence  in  many  of  the  large  cities  of  the  Empire,  there 
was  nothing  left  for  Japan  to  do  but  pocket  her  pride  and 
graciously  accept  the  conditions  authorized  by  the  powers. 
"Since  a  recital  of  the  facts  connected  with  the  Boxer 
trouble,  and  war  with  Russia,"  said  the  Major,  "would  re- 
quire more  time  than  we  have  at  our  disposal  this  evening, 
I  would  suggest  that  we  reserve  it  for  some  future 
occasion. " 


[250] 


CHAPTER  XXVI 

THE  THREE  CLASSIC  BEAUTIES  OF  JAPAN 

Matsushima  and  the  Sacred  Island  op  Kin-kwa-zan — 
Ishin-o-maki  Bay  and  the  Fantastic  Archipelago  — 
The  Tame  Deer  op  Kin-kwa-zan  —  Amo-no-Hashidate 
and  the  Pine  Clad  Dune  —  Miyajima,  the  Sacred  Isle 
op  the  Inland  Sea  —  The  Mountain  District  op 
Hakone  —  The  Odawara  Conference  —  Myanoshita 
and    the    fujiya    hotel  —  the    maiden's    pass  — 

gotemba    and    subashira ascent    op    fujiyama 

The  Goddess  Fuji-sen-gen  —  The  Eruptions  op  Fuji 
—  Trip  to  Lake  Hakone  —  The  Soga  Brethren  and 
Tora  Gozen  —  The  Legend  op  the  Bowijjer  on  Kama- 
yama  —  The  Ten  Province  Pass  —  Ojigoku,  the  Big 
Hell  —  Return  to  Yokohama. 

WE  had  finished  our  dinner  and  the  final  note  of  that 
most  bewitching  Spanish  air,  "La  Golondrina," 
was  dying  away  as  we  strolled  into  the  lobby  of  the  Grand 
on  the  evening  of  our  return  from  Nik-ko,  the  garden  of 
the  Japanese  gods. 

"My  friends,"  said  the  Major,  "there  are  five  localities 
in  Japan,  which  every  lover  of  the  true  and  the  beautiful 
should  visit  after  enduring  the  solitude  of  that  endless 
journey  across  the  lonesome  Pacific.  These  favored  spots 
are  Nik-ko,  Hakone,  and  the  Sen-kei,  the  latter  the  three 
picturesque  marvels  of  Dai-Nippon.  Matsushima,  Amo-no- 
Hashidate,  and  Miyajima,  the  favored  spots  embraced  in 
this  celebrated  trinity,  have  for  untold  ages  evoked  the 
wonder  and  applauding  admiration  of  a  race  of  nature- 

[251] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

loving  people.  Poets,  artists,  and  dramatists  have  sung  of 
their  wonderful  beauty,  transferred  them  to  canvas,  or 
consecrated  them  as  the  scenes  in  many  of  the  country's 
classical  dramas. 

"Matsushima,  the  most  northerly  one  of  the  three,  lies 
on  the  east  coast  in  the  Province  of  Kikusen,  a  few  leagues 
above  the  castle  town  of  Sendai,  the  former  seat  of  that 
once  powerful  lord,  Mutsu-no-kami,  the  greatest  among  the 
northern  daimios.  The  beauty  of  the  place  is  not  con- 
fined to  the  little  railroad  station,  which  bears  the  same 
name,  but  includes  the  Promontory  and  the  Bay  of  Ishin- 
o-maki  with  its  archipelago  of  pine-clad  islets,  which  ex- 
tends to  the  Sacred  Island  of  Kin-kwa-zan. 

"Between  the  borders  of  the  bay  and  the  Sacred  Island 
the  waters  fairly  bristle  with  eccentric  and  bizarre-looking 
islands  which  baffle  description.  Like  disembodied  spirits 
these  strange  freaks  of  volcanic  action  appear  on  every 
side,  during  the  sail  through  the  bay,  and  provide  the  spe- 
cial attraction  to  Matsushima.  Hundreds  of  these  fan- 
tastically shaped  tufa  rocks  which  lift  their  heads  high 
above  the  surrounding  water  are  bare  of  vegetation,  save 
here  and  there  where  some  dwarfed  pine  has  gained  a  foot- 
ing and  clings  to  its  rocky  sides  with  the  frenzy  of  a  ma- 
niac. The  lashing  waves  from  the  storms  of  centuries  have 
played  curious  pranks  with  the  isles  of  the  archipelago  and, 
through  the  process  of  erosion,  they  have  assumed  curious 
and  grotesque  shapes.  Sharp  crags,  tooth-shaped  fangs, 
castellated  towers  with  counter-scarp  and  buttress,  natural 
bridges  with  crumbling  ruins,  sprites,  wraiths,  elves,  gob- 
lins, and  furies  greet  the  vision  at  every  point  while  sailing 
through  this  wondrous  maze  of  strange  creation. 

"Kin-kwa-zan,  which  has  been  famous  as  a  place  of  sa- 
cred pilgrimage  for  ages,  may  be  reached  by  steamer  from 
Shiogama  to  Aikawa  which  leaves  daily,  or  by  following 
the  road  from  the  town  of  Ishinomaki  down  the  coast  of 
the  narrow,  mountainous  peninsula  to  Yamadori,  from 
which  the  tourist  is  conveyed  across  by  a  small  ferry  after 

[252] 


CLASSIC  BEAUTIES  OF  JAPAN 

ringing  a  bronze  bell  in  the  little  ferry-house  to  announce 
his  arrival. 

"For  centuries  this  sacred  spot  has  been  the  resort  of 
pilgrims  of  the  Buddhist  faith,  except  those  belonging  to 
the  gentler  sex,  who  have  never  been  allowed  to  walk  upon 
its  sacred  soil.  The  island  abounds  in  tame  deer,  which 
have  become  so  accustomed  to  the  gentle  priests  that  they 
go  to  them  when  suffering  from  sickness  or  slight  injury. 
Even  now  these  invalids  may  be  seen  wandering  around 
the  temples,  their  mouths  tied  up  with  the  sacred  rope  of 
the  shrine,  and  refusing  food  until  they  recover.  The 
hospitable  priests  entertain  all  visitors  to  this  enchanting 
place,  there  being  no  buildings  on  the  island  save  those 
belonging  to  the  temples,  and  escort  their  guests  to  its  sum- 
mit from  whieh  a  glorious  view  of  the  broad,  blue  Pacific 
can  be  obtained. 

"Amo-no-Hashidate  lies  on  the  north  coast  of  the  Prov- 
ince of  Tango  and  is  reached  by  rail  from  Osaka  to 
Maizuru  and  thence  by  a  small  steamer  to  Miyazu.  This 
famous  spot  may  also  be  reached,  after  arrival  at  Maizuru, 
by  ricksha  over  the  causeway  which  runs  along  bold 
granite  cliffs,  thus  affording  a  wonderfully  fine  view  of 
the  bay  and  sea.  The  curious  name  given  Amo-no-Hashi- 
date  means  the  'Bridge  of  Heaven'  and  is  said  to  have 
been  taken  from  the  'Floating  Bridge  of  Heaven'  upon 
which  Izanagi  and  Izanami  stood  when  Japan  underwent 
creation. 

"The  marvellous  beauty  of  the  locality  is  confined  to 
the  long,  narrow,  pine-covered  tongue  of  land  which  ex- 
tends two  miles  across  a  lateral  arm  of  the  gulf,  and  the 
borders  of  the  shores  which  are  enclosed  by  high  mountains 
covered  with  dense  forests.  The  beautiful  avenue  down 
the  long,  narrow  dune  begins  at  Miyazu  and  can  be 
traversed,  in  ricksha  or  afoot,  under  a  shaded  archway  of 
magnificent  pines.  The  musical  lapping  of  the  waves  at 
one 's  feet,  together  with  the  magnificent  vista  of  mountain 
coast  across  the  blue  waters  of  the  bay,  make  the  prome- 

[253] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

nade  down  this  famous  avenue  one  of  the  most  glorious 
bits  of  land  and  water  scape  in  Japan. 

"Miyajima,  the  Sacred  Island,  and  last  among  this 
selected  galaxy  of  Japanese  ideals,  lies  in  the  Inland  Sea 
and  is  reached  from  a  railroad  station  of  the  same  name  we 
pass  en  route  to  Shimonoseki,  and  as  our  itinerary  on  the 
journey  south  takes  us  there  we  will  wait  before  expressing 
an  opinion  of  that  famous  shrine  of  pilgrimage  and  marvel- 
lous beauty. 

"We  have  had  the  pleasure  of  visiting  Nik-ko  and  before 
starting  south  I  would  strongly  suggest  that  we  run  down 
to  the  mountain  district  of  Hakone  in  order  to  secure  a 
perfect  view  of  Sacred  Fujiyama,  the  idol  of  the  nation, 
and  spend  several  days  at  Myanoshita  and  Hakone,  two 
of  Japan's  most  famous  summer  resorts." 

There  was  no  dissenting  voice  to  the  Major's  proposi- 
tion, so  the  following  morning  we  took  an  early  train  for 
Kozu  which  lies  one  and  a  half  hours  south  of  Yokohama 
on  the  Tokaido  Railway.  While  Hakone  is  the  name  of 
the  beautiful  lake  and  popular  resort  near  Myanoshita, 
the  entire  mountain  district  between  the  Bays  of  Odawara 
and  Suruga  bears  that  designation,  with  all  its  enchanting 
scenery  of  rolling  plains,  wooded  peaks,  and  sulphurous- 
fumed  gorges  of  roaring,  boiling  waters. 

Kozu,  a  pretty  little  town  once  famous  as  a  halting- 
place  for  the  daimios  of  old  en  route  to  Yedo,  lies  on  the 
Bay  of  Odawara  and  affords  a  fine  view  of  peerless  Fuji 
on  a  clear  day.  From  this  point  to  Yomoto,  ten  miles  fur- 
ther on,  the  journey  is  continued  via  an  electric  tram  which 
runs  along  the  old  Tokaido  Highway  and  passes  the  castle 
town  of  Odawara,  famous  for  years  as  the  stronghold  of 
a  branch  of  the  powerful  Hojo  family  which  ruled  the 
country  after  the  death  of  Yoritomo  until  the  middle  of 
the  fourteenth  century. 

The  junior  members  of  this  family  continued  to  live  at 
Odawara  until  1590,  when  defeated  in  the  battle  of  Ishi- 
kake-yama  by  the  great  Taiko  Hideyoshi.    It  is  said  that 

[254] 


CLASSIC  BEAUTIES   OF  JAPAN 

for  many  months  preceding  this  decisive  battle  the  Hojos 
called  frequent  councils  to  decide  whether  it  was  best  to 
act  on  the  offensive  or  defensive.  During  this  unsettled 
policy  and  apparent  lull  in  hostilities,  Hideyoshi  made  a 
sudden  coup  de  main,  by  which  he  entirely  vanquished 
his  enemies.  To  the  various  convocations  held  in  Japan  re- 
sulting in  endless  discussions,  even  to-day  the  proverbial 
saying  of  an  "Odawara  Conference"  is  applied. 

After  leaving  Odawara  the  road  passes  through  the  val- 
ley of  the  Haya-kawa,  the  outlet  for  Lake  Hakone,  which 
is  rendered  extremely  attractive  by  the  prominent  conical 
twin-peaks  Futago-yama  constantly  looming  up  ahead. 
From  Yomoto  the  tourist  may  continue  the  journey  to 
Myanoshita  which  lies  to  the  right  up  the  mountain  slopes 
four  miles  away,  or  follow  the  old  Tokaido  Highway  which 
leads  to  the  town  of  Hakone  eight  miles  further  on. 

The  journey  from  Yomoto  to  Myanoshita  is  usually  made 
in  ricksha,  which  necessitates  the  employment  of  two  men, 
on  account  of  the  heavy  grade  along  the  trail.  Sturdy 
travellers,  accustomed  to  vigorous  exercise,  will  have  no 
difficulty  whatever  in  making  the  ascent  afoot.  A  short 
distance  beyond  Yomoto  the  little  village  of  Tonosawa  is 
passed,  famous  for  its  mosaic  work  in  wood  which  affords 
occupation  for  the  entire  populace  and  is  sold  at  every  re- 
sort or  watering-place  in  Japan.  The  serpentine  road 
now  becomes  very  attractive  as  it  winds  in  and  out  along 
the  sides  of  the  green  mountain  slopes,  which  are  devoid 
of  trees  and  as  smooth  as  a  well-kept  lawn.  Two  miles 
above  the  little  hamlet  of  Ohiradai  we  finally  emerge  upon 
the  summit  of  the  mountain  plain  at  Myanoshita,  1,500 
feet  above  the  sea. 

The  Fujiya  Hotel,  with  which  Myanoshita  is  blessed, 
is  exquisitely  located  at  the  foot  of  a  steep,  wooded  hill 
which  leads  up  to  a  tea-house  700  feet  above  and  overlooks 
the  village.  This  famous  hotel  has  justly  maintained  its  po- 
sition at  the  head  of  the  many  noted  hostelries  in  the  Em- 
pire for  a  number  of  years,  and  counts  among  its  guests 

[255] 


ON  LEAVE   IN  JAPAN 

the  most  distinguished  citizens  of  the  world.  The  hand- 
some buildings,  comfortable  rooms,  excellent  fare,  together 
with  its  glass-covered  piazzas,  spacious  grounds  ornamented 
with  spraying  fountains,  flowering  shrubs  and  blooming 
flowers,  and  the  pleasant  guests  found  under  its  hospitable 
roof,  have  made  the  Fujiya  the  crowning  point  of  Ha- 
kone's  famous  mountain  plain. 

Besides  the  pleasure  which  may  be  derived  from  the  nat- 
ural beauty  of  the  place  and  its  pure  and  invigorating  at- 
mosphere, there  are  many  natural  thermal  springs,  which 
possess  wonderful  healing  virtue  in  the  cure  of  rheumatism, 
neuralgia,  and  kindred  affections.  Likewise  there  are 
many  attractive  walks  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the 
hotel  and  village,  among  which  may  be  mentioned  the 
climb  to  Sengen-yama,  the  wooded  hill  in  rear  of  the  hotel, 
and  to  Kiga,  fifteen  minutes  away,  where  picturesque 
waterfalls  may  be  seen  and  a  little  tea-house,  where  gold- 
fish are  fed.  The  ravine,  which  is  spanned  by  bridge  near 
by,  discloses  large,  white  stones,  which  have  the  appear- 
ance of  serpents '  vertebrae,  and  hence  is  called  the  ' '  Stream 
of  the  Serpent's  Bones."  About  one-half  mile  up  the 
valley  beyond  Kiga  we  reach  Miyagino,  an  attractive  little 
village  lying  on  both  sides  of  the  Hayakawa  River  which 
arises  in  Lake  Hakone  five  miles  away. 

Should  the  tourist  desire  to  visit  Fuji  he  can  continue 
his  journey  from  Mayagino  along  the  beautiful  valley  to 
Sengoku,  from  which  the  ascent  of  the  Maiden's  Pass  be- 
gins, leading  on  to  Otome-Toge,  seven  miles  further  on. 
The  ascent  to  the  pass  is  steep  but  the  weary  traveller  is 
rewarded  by  the  exquisite  view  obtained  of  Fuji  from  this 
point.  It  is  on  the  summit  of  this  beautiful  pass  that  a 
half  hour's  halt  is  called  for  lunch,  and  to  gaze  upon  the 
marvellous  beauty  of  the  panorama  which  extends  to  the 
blue  waters  of  the  boundless  Pacific.  Behind  us  lie  Lake 
Hakone  and  the  smoking  hell  of  Ojigoku,  the  snow-clad 
peaks  of  Koshu  and  Shinshu,  the  Plains  of  Gengoku  and 
the  blue  waters  of  the  Sagami  Bay.    In  front,  a  sweep  of 

[256] 


CLASSIC  BEAUTIES  OF  JAPAN 

country  extends  down  to  the  Bay  of  Suruga,  while  rising 
high  above  the  plains  stands  the  glistening  cone  of  Fuji 
like  a  peerless  gem  in  a  sea  of  pure  azure.  From  the  sum- 
mit of  Otometoge  the  trail  leads  down  to  the  town  of  Go- 
temba  on  the  Tokaido  Railway,  from  which  the  ascent  may 
be  made  direct,  or  by  way  of  the  village  of  Subashira,  which 
is  usually  recommended. 

The  ascent  of  Fuji  may  be  very  comfortably  made  from 
Myanoshita  on  foot,  horseback  or  in  a  kago.  The  kago 
consists  of  a  seat  made  of  bamboo  lashed  to  a  pole  below 
which  it  hangs  suspended,  the  ends  of  the  pole  resting  on 
the  shoulders  of  two  sturdy  bearers.  The  kago  has  been 
used  by  the  Japanese  for  centuries,  especially  by  that  class 
unable  to  own  or  hire  the  more  expensive  norimono  or 
palanquin,  which  was  reserved  for  the  daimios  and  wealthy 
classes.  Considerable  knack  is  required  to  enter  the  kago 
and  to  ride  in  one  comfortably  requires  frequent  practice. 
The  occupant  has  to  crawl  in  and  fold  himself  like  a  jack- 
knife  after  the  fashion  of  a  Turk.  This  mode  of  transpor- 
tation perfectly  suits  the  Japanese,  who  for  generations 
have  been  accustomed  to  sitting  on  folded  limbs  and,  be- 
sides, enjoy  the  swinging  motion  of  the  cage.  It  will  be 
remembered  that  the  chair  forms  no  part  of  the  furniture 
in  a  Japanese  household  and  its  non-use  has  been  advanced 
by  scientists  as  an  explanation  for  the  short  legs  of  the 
people.  Steps  have  been  taken  by  the  national  leaders  to 
introduce  the  use  of  the  Western  chair  in  Japanese 
families. 

On  arrival  at  Gotemba,  either  direct  by  rail  from  Yoko- 
hama or  cross  country  from  Myanoshita  or  Hakone,  the 
aspiring  mountain-climber  will  find  a  horse-car  which  will 
carry  him  to  the  village  of  Subashira,  seven  miles  away 
and  1,500  feet  higher  up  the  mountain-side,  which  appre- 
ciably diminishes  the  labors  of  the  arduous  climb  the  fol- 
lowing day.  The  trip  to  the  top  of  the  volcano  can  be 
made  in  one  day  either  from  Gotemba  or  Subashira,  but 
for  those  who  have  time  to  spare  one  night  should  be 
17  [  257  ] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

spent  on  the  summit  of  the  mountain  to  enjoy  the  aurora 
of  the  early  dawn  and  the  splendors  of  the  setting  sun. 

Although  the  government  has  provided  bungalows 
or  stone  huts  along  the  mountain-sides,  where  tea  and  other 
articles  of  food  may  be  obtained,  the  tourist  should  go 
well  provided  with  warm  clothing  even  though  he  make 
the  ascent  during  the  warmest  season,  for  there  is  no  night 
when  the  thermometer  does  not  go  below  freezing.  On 
making  the  ascension  from  Subashira  the  start  should  be 
made  at  2  a.m.,  which  will  enable  the  tourist  to  enjoy  the 
sunrise  on  the  way  up  and  also  to  reach  the  summit  by 
slow  stages  at  noon.  Should  it  be  decided  to  spend  the 
night  in  one  of  the  huts  on  the  summit  of  the  mountain, 
the  visitor  will  be  enabled  to  descend  into  the  crater  below 
and  make  the  rounds.  There  are  three  entrances  to  the 
crater,  each,  of  which  is  marked  with  torii  and  gateways. 

Beautiful  Fuji,  which  is  a  perfect,  silver-crested  pyra- 
mid, stands  over  12,000  feet  high  and  changes  its  color 
from  dawn  to  dusk.  This  famous  mountain  has  been  sa- 
cred to  the  simple-minded  natives  for  countless  centuries 
and  the  subject  of  every  artist  in  the  land.  Hok'sai,  the 
great  Japanese  artist,  has  enriched  the  artistic  collection 
with  thirty-six  views  of  classical  Fuji,  and  Hiroshige  with 
fifty-three  of  the  old  Tokaido  Highway,  many  of  which  in- 
clude this  beautiful  peak. 

The  word  Fujisan  means  fire  and  is  supposed  to  have 
been  derived  from  the  Aino  language,  although  there  have 
been  many  violent  philological  discussions  on  the  subject. 
A  popular  legend  states  that  the  mountain  was  the  resi- 
dence of  a  goddess  named  Fugi-sen-gen,  which  makes  it 
sacred.  It  further  states  that  it  arose  in  a  single  night  and 
that  Lake  Biwa  was  hollowed  out  at  the  same  time.  Rec- 
ords have  been  made  of  the  frequent  eruptions  which  have 
occurred  since  799  a.d.,  the  last  one  taking  place  in  1707, 
when  the  hump  appeared  on  the  southern  side.  During 
this  last  eruption  the  country  for  miles  around  was  cov- 
ered with  lava  and  the  streets  of  Yedo,  sixty  miles  away, 

[258] 


CLASSIC  BEAUTIES  OF  JAPAN 

with  six  inches  of  ashes.  The  only  sign  of  activity  at  pres- 
ent is  a  little  steam  and  smoke  which  issue  from  the  cracks 
close  to  the  crater  on  the  Subashira  side. 

The  ascent  of  Fuji  from  Subashira,  if  made  comfortably, 
consumes  from  eight  to  ten  hours,  while  the  descent  can  be 
made  in  a  little  more  than  half  that  time.  The  record 
from  Gotemba  to  the  summit  and  return  stands  at  nine 
hours  and  ten  minutes,  but  I  would  advise  no  one  to  at- 
tempt to  break  this  record  unless  his  heart  and  arterial 
circulation  were  in  the  most  perfect  condition. 

In  making  a  visit  to  the  village  of  Hakone  and  the  beau- 
tiful lake  of  the  same  name  from  Tokio  or  Yokohama  the 
traveller  leaves  the  railway  at  Kozu,  continuing  the  journey 
to  Yomoto  on  the  electric  tram,  and  following  the  old  To- 
kaido  Highway  up  the  Hakone  Pass  via  Hata.  The  To- 
kaido  Highway,  which  connected  Yedo  in  olden  times  with 
the  Mikado's  capital  at  Kioto,  was  exceedingly  picturesque 
before  the  advent  of  the  railroad  and  became  the  daily 
dream  of  many  an  ambitious  artist.  Between  Yomoto  and 
Hakone  the  road  gradually  rises  and  the  scenery  is  ex- 
tremely beautiful  and  picturesque,  although  the  hills  are 
bare  of  trees. 

The  trip  to  Hakone  may  be  varied  by  spending  the  night 
at  Myanoshita  and  crossing  over  the  rolling  hills  the  fol- 
lowing morning  via  Ashinoyu  and  Moto-Hakone,  from 
which  the  traveller  enters  an  impressive  avenue  of  crypto- 
merias  leading  to  "Hakone  on  the  Lake."  Ashinoyu,  al- 
though a  bare  and  uninviting  village,  possesses  a  number 
of  sulphur  springs  remarkable  for  the  curative  powers  of 
their  waters  for  skin  diseases  and  rheumatic  affections. 
At  the  end  of  the  village  a  path  leads  up  to  the  summit  of 
the  Twin  Mountains,  from  which  a  magnificent  view  of 
Lake  Hakone  and  surrounding  country  may  be  obtained. 

From  Ashinoyu  the  road  descends  most  of  the  way  to 
Lake  Hakone  and  passes,  a  short  distance  after  leaving 
the  village,  three  small  stone  monuments  dedicated  to  the 
Soga  Brethren,  Juro  and  Goro,  who  are  national  heroes 

[259] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

on  account  of  the  righteous  punishment  inflicted  on  Kudo 
Suketsune,  the  murderer  of  their  father,  near  Fuji  in  1193. 
Juro  was  killed  during  the  conflict,  but  Goro,  who  sur- 
vived, was  sentenced  to  decapitation  with  a  blunt  sword. 
Tora  Gozen,  a  beautiful  courtesan  and  mistress  to  the  elder 
brother,  assisted  at  the  coup  de  grace  which  removed  Su- 
ketsune from  the  world,  and  after  the  death  of  her  lover 
became  a  pious  nun,  passing  the  remainder  of  her  days  in 
prayers  to  the  gods  in  his  behalf. 

There  are  several  other  objects  worthy  of  a  short  halt  in 
this  vicinity.  On  the  roadside,  a  short  distance  beyond, 
stands  a  rock  of  andesite  on  which  are  carved  in  relief 
images  of  Buddha,  about  twenty-five  in  number,  supposed 
to  have  been  done  about  1293  by  the  famous  Buddhist 
saint,  Kobo  Dashi.  Several  of  these  images  are  unfinished 
and  the  legend  states  that  Kobo  had  completed  twenty- 
two  of  them  during  the  night,  but  as  the  day  broke  before 
he  had  finished  them  all,  he  departed  and  left  the  work  in- 
complete. A  colossal  image  of  Jizo,  on  a  rock  of  andesite, 
stands  a  few  yards  from  the  road,  also  attributed  to  the 
same  sacred  sculptor. 

Farther  along  the  traveller  passes,  on  the  right  and  left, 
small  lakes,  craters  to  extinct  volcanoes,  which  are  stocked 
with  fish  and  afford  amusement  to  the  skating  fraternity 
during  the  winter  months.  On  the  right  of  the  road  a 
trail  ascends  to  the  ridge  of  Koma-ga-take  from  which  an 
excellent  view  of  the  surrounding  country  can  be  obtained, 
but  not  half  so  fine  as  that  from  the  summit  of  Mount  Kami- 
yama  which  commands  a  prospect  of  the  entire  surround- 
ing country.  A  curious  legend  exists  in  connection  with 
a  large  bowlder  on  the  top  of  Koma-ga-take,  the  hollow  of 
which  contains  water  that  never  evaporates.  The  peas- 
ants in  the  vicinity  make  pilgrimages  to  it  during  the  sea- 
sons of  drought,  in  order  to  provoke  rain  by  scattering  on 
the  mountain-top  a  few  drops  of  the  sacred  water.  Should 
some  of  it  be  taken  down  the  mountain-side,  the  legend 
states  that  violent  typhoons  will  at  once  occur  at  sea. 

[260] 


CLASSIC  BEAUTIES   OF  JAPAN 

At  the  foot  of  Futago-yama  and  the  crossing  of  the  pass 
stood  the  old  barrier  or  guard-house  in  ancient  days,  where 
all  travellers  passing  to  and  fro  between  the  provinces  and 
Yedo  had  to  stop  to  undergo  an  examination.  Private  per- 
sons going  up  to  Yedo  were  required  to  have  a  passport, 
otherwise  they  were  placed  under  arrest  and  confined  for 
three  days  before  being  allowed  to  continue  their  journey. 
The  barrier  was  removed  in  1871,  but  a  portion  of  the  stone 
foundation  still  remains. 

The  village  of  Hakone  lies  1,000  feet  higher  than  Myan- 
oshita  and  hence  the  atmosphere  is  cooler.  The  town  is 
beautifully  located  among  handsome  trees  where  many 
feathered  warblers  fill  the  air  with  joyous  song.  The  lake, 
which  is  a  beautiful  sheet  of  water,  extends  five  miles  among 
its  wooded  borders  of  picturesque  hills  and  affords  ex- 
cellent boating  and  bathing  in  season.  The  many  cottages 
which  dot  the  margins  of  the  lake  are  filled  with  native  so- 
journers, who  flock  there  in  the  summer  from  Tokio  and 
Yokohama  to  escape  the  heated  season.  A  summer  palace 
for  the  Mikado,  enclosed  in  spacious  grounds  which  are 
never  open  to  the  public,  is  located  on  a  handsome  bend 
of  the  shore,  but  is  rarely  occupied  by  its  royal  owner. 
In  summing  up  the  respective  advantages  of  Myanoshita 
and  Hakone,  the  former  has  the  advantage  of  hot  springs, 
a  drier  atmosphere,  and  a  superior  hotel,  while  Hakone  is 
cooler  and  possesses  a  picturesque  lake,  upon  whose  peace- 
ful bosom  at  eventide  may  be  seen  the  reflection  of  peerless 
Fuji  in  all  its  crowning  perfection. 

The  environment  of  Hakone  is  equally  as  interesting  as 
that  of  Myanoshita,  and  besides  is  the  gateway  to  Atami, 
via  the  Ten  Province  Pass.  The  view  from  the  pass  en 
route  to  Atami  is  unsurpassed  anywhere  in  the  empire  for 
extent  and  magnificence  of  scenery.  From  the  summit  of 
the  ridge  the  traveller  looks  down  upon  the  ten  provinces 
of  Izu,  Suruga,  Tatomi,  Kai,  Kotsuke,  Shimosa,  Kazusa, 
Awa,  Musashi,  and  Sagami,  besides  bays,  peninsulas,  is- 
lands, mountain-ranges,  and  the  incomparable  and  peer- 

[261] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

less  Fuji  which  towers  thousands  of  feet  in  its  regal  beauty- 
above  them  all.  "Like  a  vast  and  splendid  temple  it  stands 
high  above  the  ocean  plain,  white  with  the  snows  of  cen- 
turies and  glistening  in  the  sun  like  a  crowning  gem.  If 
one 's  memories  of  Japan  were  destined  to  fade  one  by  one, 
the  last  would  no  doubt  be  that  of  Fujisan." 

In  making  the  ascent  of  Fuji  from  Hakone  the  tourist 
rows  across  the  lake  to  its  northern  end,  six  miles  away, 
and  follows  the  road  across  rolling  downs,  bare  and  deso- 
late, passing  through  clumps  of  bamboo  until  he  reaches 
Ubago,  which  is  at  the  junction  of  the  road,  one  branch 
passing  on  to  Ojigoku,  or  the  Big  Hell,  while  the  main  road 
continues  on  to  Sengo-ku-hara  and  thence  on  to  Otome-Toge 
over  the  Maiden's  Pass.  From  here  the  descent  is  made 
down  the  steep  sides  of  the  hilly  trail  to  Gotemba  and  the 
ascent  of  Fuji  made  direct  from  there  or  via  Subashira. 

The  village  of  Ubago  is  made  up  of  rows  of  long,  one- 
story  buildings,  open  in  front,  and  occupied  by  the  pro- 
miscuous bathers  of  both  sexes.  To  reach  Ojigoku  or  the 
Big  Hell  we  ascend  a  deep  path  through  the  forest,  then 
across  a  ridge  and  down  into  a  valley  of  desolation.  Be- 
fore us  lie  heaps  of  ashes,  hillocks  of  sulphur,  holes  from 
which  steam  is  issuing,  and  a  treacherous  crust  from  be- 
neath which  boiling  water  can  be  heard  roaring  and  tum- 
bling. The  tourist  is  advised  to  follow  closely  the  steps 
of  the  guide  in  this  dangerous  region  of  geysers  and  boil- 
ing springs,  lest  he  make  a  misstep  and  disappear  beneath 
the  seething  current  below.  The  whole  gorge  reeks  with 
the  fumes  of  burning  sulphur  and  the  aspect  of  the  scene  is 
wild  and  weird.  Since  the  visit  of  the  Emperor  to  Ojigoku, 
several  years  ago,  the  place  has  been  renamed  and  is  now 
called  Owa-kidama.  From  here  we  retrace  our  steps  to 
Myanoshita  and  return  once  more  to  Yokohama. 


[262] 


CHAPTER  XXVII 

THE  BOXER  TROUBLE  OF  1900  IN  CHINA  AND 
NAVAL  ENGAGEMENTS  DURING  THE  RUSSO- 
JAPANESE  WAR  OF  1904r-5 

The  Boxer  Trouble  —  Murder  op  the  German  Minister 
and  Japanese  Secretary  —  The  Peking  Compact  — 
Baron  Komura  and  Count  Lamsdorff  —  The  Declara- 
tion op  War  —  Departure  op  Togo  for  Port  Arthur 

—  Sinking  op  the  "Koreyetz"  and  "Variag"  at 
Chemulpo  —  The  Rendezvous  at  Elliott  Island  — 
Night  Attack  of  the  Flotilla  on  Port  Arthur  — 
Injury  to  the  "Tzarevttch,"  "Revitsan,"  and 
"Pallada" — Togo's  Attack  the  Following  Morning 

—  Blockading  the  Harbor  —  The  Destruction  of 
Rodjestvensky's  Fleet. 

IN  order  to  obtain  a  clear  idea,"  said  the  Major,  "of 
the  causes  which  led  to  the  Russo-Japanese  War,  it 
will  be  necessary  to  refer  to  the  Boxer  Insurrection  of 
1900.  Although  a  number  of  misguided  people,  opposed 
to  the  missionary  propaganda  of  the  Christian  churches, 
insist  that  the  missionaries  excited  the  movement,  the  world 
knows  that  the  Boxer  trouble  was  initiated  by  the  ultra 
Conservatives,  or  Know  Nothing  Party  of  the  Flowery 
Kingdom,  whose  slogan  was  '  China  for  the  Chinese. '  Un- 
der the  Tokugawas,  a  similar  party  existed  in  Japan,  from 
the  beginning  of  the  seventeenth  century  and  until  Com- 
modore Perry  unsealed  the  country  in  1853  through  the  in- 
vincible argument  of  an  American  battle-ship  fleet. 

"During  the  early  part  of  the  Insurrection  in  China 
[263] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

the  Boxers  killed  the  secretary  of  the  Japanese  legation 
and  the  German  minister,  besieged  the  other  foreign  lega- 
tions in  Peking,  and  overran  a  considerable  portion  of 
Pechili  Province.  England  proposed  that  Japan  become 
sponsor  for  the  Chinese  empire  and  be  allowed  to  settle  the 
trouble,  but  this  was  not  conceded  by  the  other  foreign  pow- 
ers. The  invasion  of  the  allied  armies  from  America,  Eng- 
land, Germany,  France,  Russia,  and  Japan,  the  attack  on 
the  Taku  forts  at  the  mouth  of  the  Pei  Ho,  the  capture  of 
Tientsin,  the  march  to  Peking,  and  the  indemnity  paid,  are 
too  fresh  in  the  memory  of  the  general  public  to  require 
repetition.  As  usual,  dear  old  Uncle  Sam,  with  that  mag- 
nanimity which  has  always  been  characteristic  of  the  most 
altruistic  nation  in  the  world,  could  not  rest  easy  until  he 
had  returned  every  penny  of  the  $3,000,000  which  had  been 
allotted  as  his  share. 

"The  movement  had  also  extended  to  Manchuria,  which 
gave  Russia  the  inning  she  had  long  desired,  namely,  an 
excuse  for  sending  troops  there  under  the  pretext  that  it 
was  necessary  to  protect  her  property  in  Manchuria,  espe- 
cially the  railroad  under  construction  to  Dalny  and  Port 
Arthur.  Before  leaving  Peking  in  1901,  the  powers  ex- 
acted a  promise  from  Russia  that  she  would  withdraw  her 
troops  from  Manchuria  in  three  successive  evacuations  at 
intervals  of  six  months,  beginning  October  8,  1902,  and 
ending  October  8,  1903. 

"The  first  evacuation  took  place  on  the  required  date, 
but  instead  of  continuing  the  movement  as  promised,  the 
Russians  faced  about  and  began  sending  additional  troops 
to  Manchuria  in  order  to  protect  the  great  timber  conces- 
sion which  a  Russian  company  had  acquired  in  the  valley 
of  the  Yalu  and  at  the  head-waters  of  that  river.  It  is 
true  that  a  timber  concession  had  been  granted  a  Russian, 
where  were  immense  tracts  of  valuable  forests  belonging 
to  the  Korean  Imperial  household.  This  concession  was 
never  used  until  the  completion  of  the  Manchurian  Railway. 
At  this  time  Russia  was  endeavoring  to  exact  a  promise 

[264] 


— — ' 

/ 

'••'.■;■  .1H- 

^r^»  r^TRf -^■^^■l^jl^fiWPifT 

Nunobikj  Falls,  Kobe,  Japan 


• 

t^Mki 

KHI 

^ 

i>"    .  T^Bt^^k                   ■  —  '3t 

'.''**  ~~- r- 

HBBBH 

• 

Mountain  scenery,  Miyanoshita,  Japan 


Government  Mint  Park,  Osaka,  Japan 


Ikuta  Temple,  Kobe,  Japan 


BOXER  TROUBLE   OF  1900 

from  China  that,  in  case  she  did  withdraw  her  troops  as 
agreed,  no  new  posts  be  opened  to  foreign  consuls,  although 
the  'open-door  policy'  was  insisted  on  by  the  powers  in 
the  alliance  between  England  and  Japan. 

1 '  Count  Alexieff  was  now  appointed  viceroy  of  the  Amur 
and  Kwantung  territories,  1903,  and  without  any  delay  or- 
dered a  Russian  fleet  to  Port  Arthur  and,  indeed,  required 
English  ships  to  leave  the  port,  much  to  the  astonishment 
and  dismay  of  the  Japanese  nation.  China  again  urged 
Russia  to  comply  with  the  Peking  compact,  at  the  same  time 
informing  her  that  the  request  was  made  through  the  ad- 
vice of  the  other  powers.  Russia  not  only  positively  re- 
fused to  do  so,  unless  granted  her  terms  of  the  'closed 
door,'  but  began  negotiations  with  Korea  to  lease  Yon- 
gampo  on  the  Yalu,  which  was  intended  as  an  open  port. 

"Baron  Komura,  the  Japanese  premier,  then  proposed 
to  Russia  that  an  agreement  be  entered  into  '  to  respect  the 
independence  and  territorial  integrity  of  the  Chinese  and 
Korean  empires, '  recognizing  the  special  interest  of  Russia 
in  Manchuria  and  of  Japan  in  Korea  but  maintaining,  at 
the  same  time,  the  rights  and  privileges  of  the  other  pow- 
ers acquired  by  existing  treaties  with  China.  Could  any 
nation  in  the  world  have  made  a  fairer  proposition?  It 
was  Russia's  intention  not  only  to  acquire  Manchuria,  but 
in  the  end,  the  peninsula  of  Korea,  the  dagger-point  with 
which  she  intended  ultimately  to  pierce  Japan  to  her  very 
heart's  core. 

'  •  The  reply  from  Count  Lamsdorff,  the  Russian  premier, 
was  long  delayed  and  it  was  too  evident  that  they  were 
simply  sparring  for  time  in  order  to  send  more  troops  and 
supplies  to  the  East,  and  to  place  the  army  in  a  better  con- 
dition when  the  psychical  moment  arrived  for  declaring 
war.  The  Japanese  had  exercised  the  most  supreme  pa- 
tience and  forbearance,  during  those  weary  six  months 
of  diplomatic  correspondence  which  passed  between  Tokio 
and  St.  Petersburg,  principally  carried  on  by  means  of  the 
cable. 

[265] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

"Every  one  was  at  fever  heat  in  Tokio  on  February  5, 
when  Mr.  Kurino,  the  Japanese  minister,  and  his  staff  were 
ordered  to  leave  St.  Petersburg  and  to  communicate  his 
orders  to  Count  Lamsdorff.  Japan  was  not  taken  una- 
wares, for  every  alert  military  nation  knew  that  she  had 
been  preparing  for  this  inevitable  struggle  ever  since  com- 
pelled to  relinquish,  by  the  Great  Northern  Bear,  her  rights 
of  conquest  from  China  after  the  treaty  at  Shimonoseki. 
Japan  had  not  forgotten  the  splendid  Island  of  Saghalien, 
appropriated  by  Russia  generations  ago,  under  various  pre- 
texts, the  loss  of  Port  Arthur  and  the  Liaotung  Peninsula 
and  Russia's  declaration  in  1901  that  she  would  ultimately 
dominate  the  East. 

"Since  her  war  with  China  in  1894^5,  'Japan  had 
strained  every  nerve  to  build  a  modern  and  powerful  navy. 
New  dockyards  were  constructed  and  navy-yards  estab- 
lished in  the  most  favorable  and  secure  harbors  of  the  em- 
pire. For  years  preceding  the  war  the  noise  and  din  of 
forge  and  hammer  were  heard  from  Sasebo  in  Kyushu  to 
Muroran  in  Yezo.  Nor  had  she  neglected  her  army  which 
had  been  more  than  doubled  since  the  war  with  China  and 
equipped  with  the  most  modern  magazine  rifle  and  field 
artillery. 

"In  the  guise  of  peddlers  and  laborers  her  engineer  of- 
ficers had  studied  and  mapped  the  territory  of  Manchuria 
and  Korea  and  knew  every  river,  stream,  trail,  highway 
and  mountain  pass,  from  Harbin  in  the  north  to  Fusan 
opposite  Shimonoseki,  the  Western  Gate  of  the  Inland  Sea. 
She  had  even  gone  farther  with  her  bureau  of  information 
and  sent  numbers  of  her  most  intelligent  soldiers  to  work 
as  coolies  in  building  the  forts  and  redoubts  around  Port 
Arthur,  Nanshan,  Liaoyang,  Mukden  and  other  important 
strategic  points.  These  men  had  even  assisted  in  planting 
mines  in  the  enemy's  harbors,  among  the  wire  entangle- 
ments at  Kinchow  and  elsewhere. 

"Many  of  the  Japanese  officers  had  acquired  a  thorough 
knowledge  of  the  Korean  and  Manchu  languages  and  knew 

[266] 


BOXER  TROUBLE  OF   1900 

intimately  well  many  of  the  inhabitants  of  those  countries. 
Colonel  O.  E.  "Wood,  who  served  as  military  attache  in  To- 
kio  from  1900  to  1904,  said  that  the  Japanese  Bureau  of 
Military  Intelligence  was  inferior  to  none  in  the  world. 
So  well-equipped  with  information  were  the  Japanese  com- 
manders that  they  were  even  able  to  locate  the  concealed 
mines  before  making  assaults  during  the  campaigns  which 
followed. 

"Colonel  Wood  further  adds  that  the  Japanese  army 
has  no  superior  in  many  vital  points.  The  discipline 
among  the  men  was  superb  and  obedience  to  officers  abso- 
lute. The  officers  themselves  were  studious,  well-informed, 
and  keenly  observant  in  regard  to  details.  He  observed 
that  in  emergencies  no  confusion  existed,  nor  were  any 
boisterous  commands  given,  or  unnecessary  speech  indulged 
in.  Each  officer  became  a  unit  in  a  great  system  which 
was  well-organized  and  administered.  He  learned  that  the 
greatest  care  was  paid  to  the  organization  of  the  medical 
department  and  that  the  medical  officers  were  given  ple- 
nary power  to  perform  intelligently  the  functions  of  their 
various  offices. 

"Reports  differ  as  to  date  and  locality  of  the  first  shot 
fired  during  the  Russo-Japanese  War.  The  assertion  has 
been  made  that  the  first  shot  was  fired  by  Togo 's  destroyers 
at  Port  Arthur  on  the  night  of  February  8,  while  others 
state  that  the  Russian  cruiser  Koreyetz  fired  across  Ad- 
miral Uriu's  bow  on  the  afternoon  of  February  8  at 
Chemulpo.  The  question  of  a  few  hours'  priority  in  this 
regard  matters  little,  when  one  reflects  over  the  great  trage- 
dies which  followed  a  few  hours  later  at  each  of  those 
ports. 

"Anticipating  the  immediate  declaration  of  war  after 
the  withdrawal  of  Minister  Kurino,  Japan  despatched,  Feb- 
ruary 6,  Admiral  Togo's  fleet  of  battle-ships  and  fifty 
transports  laden  with  troops,  artillery,  horses  and  supplies 
of  every  kind,  to  the  ports  along  the  coast  of  Korea  and 
Port  Arthur  where  the  Russian  fleet  was  lying.     At  the 

[267] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

same  time  trains  from  every  city  in  the  Empire  were  pour- 
ing in  troops  and  supplies  at  Nagasaki,  Moji,  Sasebo,  and 
Ujina  for  transportation  to  the  seat  of  war.  The  button 
had  been  pressed,  the  die  cast,  and  Japan's  war-dogs  un- 
leashed to  struggle  with  the  mighty  Russian  Bear. 

1 '  On  arrival  at  Chemulpo,  Admiral  Uriu,  with  five  cruis- 
ers, two  destroyers  and  three  transports  with  about  seven 
thousand  soldiers,  was  detached  there  with  orders  to  land, 
take  possession  of  the  harbor  and  city,  and  forward  the 
troops  to  Seoul  without  delay. 

"It  was  about  3  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  of  February  8, 
when  Admiral  Uriu  entered  the  port  of  Chemulpo  with  his 
convoy  and,  without  paying  attention  to  the  shot  fired 
across  his  bow  by  the  Russian  cruiser  Koreyetz,  proceeded 
at  once  to  debark  the  troops.  The  work  of  debarkation 
continued  all  night  long,  and  by  the  first  blush  of  the  morn- 
ing sun  the  supplies  were  landed  and  troops  apportioned 
off  among  the  Japanese  inhabitants  of  the  town. 

"The  sun  rose  bright  and  clear  the  following  morning, 
and  after  the  empty  transports  had  been  securely  anchored 
outside  the  harbor,  Admiral  Uriu  sent  a  letter  to  the  Rus- 
sian officer  in  command  demanding  surrender,  that  he 
leave  the  harbor  by  noon,  or  prepare  for  action.  He  fur- 
ther added  that  if  they  were  still  in  the  harbor  by  4  p.m. 
he  would  open  fire.  Every  one  knew  that  the  contest  would 
be  entirely  unequal  and  that  Russia's  cruiser  and  gunboat, 
the  Koreyetz  and  Variag,  would  not  last  thirty  minutes 
under  the  fire  of  Uriu's  powerful  fleet  of  five  modern  cruis- 
ers besides  the  two  destroyers.  The  action  of  the  Russian 
commander  the  day  before  was  simply  quixotic  in  firing  the 
shot  across  the  bow  of  the  Japanese  flagship,  or  in  fact  for 
remaining  in  the  harbor  until  Admiral  Uriu's  arrival. 

"Captain  Stefanoff  of  the  Koreyetz  hurried  at  once  to 
his  foreign  naval  colleagues  and  sought  advice.  America, 
France,  Italy,  and  Korea  were  represented  with  warships 
in  the  harbor  at  the  time ;  in  fact,  the  Russian  captain  had 
dined  the  foreign  commanders  on  his  own  ship  the  evening 

[268] 


BOXER  TROUBLE   OF   1900 

before.  He  knew  at  the  time  that  Japan  had  seized  two 
Russian  merchantmen  off  the  coast  of  Korea  that  morning 
and  was  in  a  quandary  as  to  the  course  he  should  pursue. 
"What  could  he  expect  under  the  circumstances?  For  he 
was  informed  there  was  nothing  to  do  but  choose  one  of 
Uriu's  alternatives. 

'  ■  What  difference  did  it  make  after  all  ?  Should  he  sur- 
render he  would  be  tried  by  court-martial,  and  most  likely, 
in  accordance  with  Russian  naval  regulations,  sentenced 
to  death.  It  was  with  the  same  feeling  of  personal  courage 
which  impels  the  criminal  to  ascend  the  steps  of  a  scaffold 
from  which  he  is  to  swing  a  few  moments  later,  that  Cap- 
tain Stefanoff  ordered  his  ships  to  move  from  the  harbor 
at  the  appointed  hour.  It  is  said  that  the  harbor  was  lit- 
erally strewn  with  the  officers'  and  men's  personal  belong- 
ings as  the  Eoreyetz  steamed  away  to  meet  her  certain 
doom.  The  hilltops  around  the  entire  harbor  were  cov- 
ered with  the  people  of  the  town  and  surrounding  country 
to  witness  the  impending  tragedy,  while  the  crews  of 
the  other  ships  lustily  cheered  as  the  Koreyetz  left  her 
moorings. 

"The  Koreyetz  had  scarcely  cleared  the  harbor  when  the 
Asama,  Admiral  Uriu  's  flagship,  fired  a  shot  across  the  bow 
of  the  Russian  vessel  and  demanded  surrender.  The  Ko- 
reyetz replied  by  a  broadside  which  went  wide  of  its  mark, 
although  the  distance  was  but  4,000  yards.  The  Asama 
then  opened  fire,  piercing  the  Koreyetz  a  half-dozen  times 
and  inflicting  such  severe  injury  that  nothing  was  left  but 
to  steer  for  shallow  water  before  sinking.  So  rapid  and 
fatal  was  the  Japanese  fire  that  the  engagement  scarcely 
lasted  one-quarter  of  an  hour. 

"The  Variag  was  a  little  late  in  leaving  her  moorings 
and  getting  away,  and  although  she  was  aware  of  the  fate 
which  had  befallen  her  consort,  moved  out  gamely  to  the 
field  of  her  execution.  In  leaving  the  harbor,  she  endeav- 
ored to  pass  the  Japanese  fleet,  opening  up  as  she  moved 
by  with  a  broadside.     While  manoeuvring  to  fire  her  star- 

[269] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

board  guns,  she  was  literally  torn  to  pieces  by  the  Japa- 
nese fire.  Her  upper  deck  was  crumpled  up,  her  bridge 
twisted  beyond  recognition,  and  the  dead  and  dying  piled 
up  between  the  dismantled  guns  and  debris.  Riddled  with 
shells  and  in  a  foundering  condition,  she  returned  to  the 
harbor  and  signalled  the  foreign  vessels  to  assist  in  remov- 
ing the  dead  and  dying.  In  ten  minutes  after  entering  ac- 
tion, but  sixty-seven  men  out  of  a  crew  of  130  were  living. 
Both  vessels  were  subsequently  blown  up  by  the  Russians, 
and  the  remainder  of  the  crews  paroled  and  sent  home. 

"Before  following  the  land  forces,  we  will  see  what  Togo 
was  doing  after  leaving  Admiral  Uriu  at  Chemulpo.  Ar- 
riving at  Elliott,  sixty-five  miles  from  Port  Arthur,  on  the 
evening  of  February  8  and  not  waiting  for  the  Russians 
to  strike  a  blow,  he  despatched  the  same  night  to  Port  Ar- 
thur a  flotilla  of  ten  destroyers,  with  orders  to  damage  and 
destroy  as  many  of  the  Russian  battle-ships  as  possible. 
Curiously,  as  it  may  seem,  the  enemy  appeared  asleep  and 
at  peace  with  the  entire  world  when  the  gallant  little  flock 
of  destroyers  at  midnight  flew  across  the  harbor  under 
the  frowning  guns  of  the  Tiger's  Tail  and  the  entire  Rus- 
sian fleet,  and  torpedoed  three  of  her  most  powerful  battle- 
ships, the  Tzarevitch,  Revitsan,  and  Pallada.  About  two 
hours  later  the  destroyers  made  another  attack,  this  time 
apparently  accomplishing  nothing,  but  getting  away  in  each 
instance  hide  free. 

"A  comparison  of  the  two  fleets  may  be  interesting  at 
this  point.  Togo  had  with  him  the  fleet  of  six  battle-ships, 
all  of  which  were  modern  and  in  every  sense  up-to-date. 
Four  of  these  ships  were  of  over  15,000  tonnage,  each  with 
a  broadside  of  over  4,000  pounds  in  weight.  The  other  two 
battle-ships  were  of  12,000  tonnage,  with  corresponding 
weights  of  broadside.  Besides  these  he  had  nine  modern 
armored  cruisers,  fifteen  thirty-knot  torpedo-destroyers, 
and  twenty  first-  and  second-class  torpedo-boats.  The 
Russians    had    at   Port    Arthur    seven    battle-ships,    one 

[270] 


BOXER  TROUBLE  OF  1900 

armored  cruiser,  four  unarmored  cruisers  and  a  powerful 
fleet  of  destroyers,  some  of  the  fastest  in  the  world. 

"On  the  night  of  the  destroyer  attack,  nearly  all  of  the 
naval  officers  were  indulging  in  a  regular  jollification 
ashore.  Admiral  Starck  was  giving  a  birthday  dinner  in 
honor  of  his  wife  and  had  as  guests  the  principal  officers 
of  the  fleet.  Barouf sky's  circus,  which  happened  to  be  in 
town,  was  in  full  blast  and  filled  with  junior  officers  and 
sailors.  The  cafes  chantants  were  ablaze  with  life,  mirth, 
and  song,  while  the  clubs,  bars,  and  purlieus  of  the  red- 
light  districts  were  crowded  to  overflowing. 

"The  booming  of  cannon  in  the  harbor  arrested  but  for 
a  moment  the  attention  of  that  wild  and  besotted  crowd 
which  under  the  garish  lights,  staggered  around  the  streets 
of  Port  Arthur  on  that  eventful  night  in  February. 

"  'It  is  nothing  more  than  a  salute  to  some  incoming 
vessel  from  Europe,  or  possibly  target  practice/  said  a 
few  of  the  most  thoughtful,  as  they  hurried  away  to  some 
prearranged  rendezvous.  'In  any  event,  let  us  celebrate 
to-night,  for  on  the  morrow  we  start  for  Japan  to  cage  the 
pygmies  of  Dai-Nippon. ' 

"Had  any  one  taken  the  trouble  that  night  to  reach  the 
harbor,  he  would  no  doubt  have  seen  the  great  flagship 
Petropaulovsk  blinking  in  dot  and  dash  messages  to  the 
remainder  of  the  fleet,  the  injuries  the  three  great  battle- 
ships had  so  unexpectedly  received. 

"Bright  and  early  the  following  morning,  Togo  paraded 
up  and  down  before  the  harbor  and  invited  the  Russians 
to  come  out  for  a  duel.  Nothing  daunted  by  the  accidents 
of  the  night  before,  the  Russian  admiral  accepted  the  chal- 
lenge and  moved  out  of  the  harbor.  The  engagement 
lasted  about  five  hours,  during  which  time  the  battle-ships 
Petropaulovsk  and  Poltava  and  the  cruisers  Diana  and 
Askold  were  hit  and  injured,  besides  the  little  scout-boat 
Novik,  which  persisted  in  running  out  to  tackle  the  Japa- 
nese in  spite  of  its  diminutive  size. 

[271] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

"The  war,  which  had  been  declared  February  10,  was 
now  on  in  earnest  and  Admiral  Makaroff  was  appointed 
to  the  command  of  the  Kussian  fleet.  Disaster  after  dis- 
aster followed  the  Russians  at  every  step  they  took  and  it 
seemed  as  if  they  had  been  abandoned  by  the  'God  of 
Hosts,'  for  on  the  thirteenth  the  Great  Admiral  and  the 
hope  of  Russia  ventured  out  of  the  harbor  with  his  battle- 
ship and  was  accidentally  struck  by  a  mine  which  not  only 
carried  him  and  his  great  flagship  and  crew  to  the  bottom 
of  the  sea,  but  the  celebrated  artist  Yerestchagen  who  was 
on  the  vessel  as  a  guest  at  the  time.  This  was  followed 
the  next  day  by  the  loss  of  the  Russian  cruiser  Boyarin 
which  had  been  torpedoed  by  the  Japanese. 

"In  less  than  one  week  from  the  beginning  of  war,  the 
Russians  had  lost  three  warships,  seven  damaged  and  tem- 
porarily out  of  commission  and  by  capture  thirteen 
merchantmen  and  whalers.  They  had  even  suffered  more 
than  this,  for  they  had  lost  entire  prestige  in  Chemulpo 
and  Korea  generally.  Had  they  been  vigilant  and  active 
with  their  fleet,  it  is  possible  that  they  might  have  destroyed 
the  Japanese  fleet  and  thus  have  ended  the  war  in  ten 
days.  It  must  not  be  understood  that  the  Japanese  had 
entirely  fair  sailing,  for  they  had  lost  one  of  their  battle- 
ships, the  Hatsuse,  which  had  run  afoul  of  a  mine  on  May 
15,  and  the  Toshino  as  the  result  of  a  collision  with  the 
Kasuga. 

"On  February  23  Togo  decided  to  blockade  the  chan- 
nel of  Port  Arthur  and  for  this  purpose  secured  five 
steamers  loaded  down  with  ballast.  Volunteers  were  asked 
to  man  the  ships  and  thousands  expressed  their  willingness 
to  go.  Many  of  them,  like  the  samurai  of  old,  signed 
their  names  in  their  blood.  The  five  steamers  were  es- 
corted into  the  harbor  by  five  torpedo  boats  and  then  made 
a  rush  for  the  channel.  None  of  them  reached  the  goal, 
however,  except  the  old  Eohoku  which  sank  near  the 
entrance.  A  second  attempt  was  made  March  26,  with 
four  other  steamers,  but  they  suffered  the  fate  of  the  first 

[272] 


BOXER  TROUBLE  OF  1900 

ones  without  accomplishing  any  beneficial  results  to  the 
Japanese. 

"The  third  and  final  effort  was  made  on  May  3,  for 
which  Togo  secured  eight  steamers,  larger  and  more  power- 
ful than  the  others.  Amid  howling  winds  and  in  the 
roughest  kind  of  weather  these  floating  coffins  charged  up 
the  harbor  in  the  face  of  hundreds  of  guns  and  hidden 
mines.  They  finally  reached  the  channel  and  in  a  measure 
made  a  success  of  the  enterprise.  Of  the  130  men  who 
constituted  the  crews  of  these  doomed  ships  only  sixty- 
seven  survived,  and  a  number  of  them  swam  ashore  and 
attempted  to  capture  one  of  the  forts  single-handed.  Was 
there  ever  such  a  frenzied  set  of  patriots  in  the  world? 
Never,  since  the  days  when  all  Europe  went  mad  in  the 
attempt  to  rescue  the  Holy  Sepulchre  from  the  hands  of 
the  Infidel. 

"After  the  first  few  months  of  the  war,  the  Russian 
fleet  did  nothing  more  than  act  on  the  defensive,  and,  in 
fact,  never  ventured  beyond  the  shadow  of  the  heavy  guns 
of  the  fort  until  their  final  unfortunate  attempt,  on  August 
10,  to  escape.  It  will  be  remembered  that  on  this  occa- 
sion the  Pallada  and  Novik  were  sunk  and  the  Sevastopol, 
Revitsan,  Pooieda,  Poltava,  and  Peresviet  driven  back  into 
the  harbor,  where  they  remained  until  sunk  by  the  plun- 
ging fire  of  the  Japanese  from  174  Metre  Hill.  The  re- 
mainder of  the  fleet  escaped  to  neutral  ports  where  they 
remained  disarmed  until  the  close  of  the  war. 

"Every  one  remembers  Rodjestvensky's  unfortunate  re- 
lief expedition  to  the  East  in  the  Spring  of  1905  and  the 
ghosts  of  the  Japanese  torpedo-flotilla  he  saw  on  the  Dag- 
ger Banks  of  the  North  Sea  when  he  sank  two  boats  be- 
longing to  an  English  fishing  fleet.  It  was  on  May  14 
that  he  left  neutral  waters  and  directed  his  course  towards 
Vladivostok.  Admiral  Togo  was  lying  at  Chien-hai  Bay 
on  watch  with  a  fleet  superior  to  the  Russians.  He  kept 
in  touch  with  his  fleet  by  means  of  the  wireless  and  knew 
when  Rodjestvensky  would  pass  through  the  Korean  Strait. 
18  [  273  ] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

At  2  p.m.  on  May  27,  the  Russian  fleet  passed  north  of 
Okino  Shima  in  the  east  channel,  steering  in  two  columns. 

"The  day  was  foggy  and  the  sea  heavy,  when  Togo  ap- 
peared from  the  west,  which  gave  him  the  advantage  of 
light.  The  Russians  began  their  fire  at  a  distance  of  six 
miles,  while  the  Japanese  reserved  theirs  until  they  had 
closed  up  to  within  two  miles.  The  Russian  fleet  was  un- 
equal in  every  regard  to  the  Japanese,  in  vessels,  guns,  and 
seamanship,  and  by  5  o'clock  that  afternoon  was  irretriev- 
ably injured,  sunk,  or  scattered  over  the  Sea  of  Japan. 
Six  of  the  battle-ships  were  sunk  and  two  captured.  Three 
cruisers  escaped  to  Manila,  one  to  Vladivostok,  one  to 
Shanghai,  and  one  to  San  Francisco. 

"Admiral  Rodjestvensky,  who  was  wounded  early  in  the 
action,  was  captured  the  next  day  on  the  destroyer  Bied- 
ovi.  Of  the  Russian  crew,  4,000  were  killed  and  drowned 
and  7,000  taken  prisoners.  The  Japanese  lost  in  killed 
115  and  400  wounded.  The  annihilation  of  Rodjest- 
vensky's  fleet  called  the  attention  of  the  world  to  the  fu- 
tility of  continuing  the  war  and  resulted  in  the  Treaty  of 
Portsmouth." 


[274] 


CHAPTER  XXVIII 

LAND  ENGAGEMENTS  OF  THE  JAPANESE  ARMY 
DURING  THE  RUSSO-JAPANESE  WAR 

Organization  op  the  Japanese  Army  —  Strength  op 
the  Russian  Army  —  Battle  op  the  Yalu  —  Kuroki 
Marches  North  —  The  Battle  op  Motienling  Pass  — 
arrival  op  the  second  army  under  general  oku  — 
The  Battle  op  Nan  Shan  —  Battles  op  Tehlisz, 
Katping,  Newchwang,  and  Taihiheao  —  Arrival  op 
the  Fourth  Army  under  General  Nodzu  —  Battles 
op  Fenshuiling  and  Tomucheng  —  Siege  op  Liaoyang 
and  Retreat  op  the  Russians  —  Battle  op  the  Sha- 
ho  —  The  Siege  op  Port  Arthur  under  General  Nogi 

—  Battle    op    Mukden  —  Negotiations    for    Peace 

—  Meeting  at  Portsmouth,  New  Hampshire  —  Terms 
op  the  Agreement  —  Conclusion  op  Peace  —  Dis- 
satisfaction in  Japan  and  Russia  —  Kuropatkin's 
Summary  op  Causes  Leading  to  Russian  Reverses  — 
The  Real  Causes  —  Japanese  Casualties  during  the 
War. 

BEFORE  following  the  important  steps  of  land  forces 
during  the  recent  war  with  Russia,  it  may  be  as 
well,"  said  the  Major,  "to  state  the  composition  of 
the  different  Japanese  armies  which  participated  in  the 
active  campaigns.  The  First  Army,  under  the  command 
of  General  Kuroki,  was  composed  of  the  Imperial  Guards 
Division,  Second  and  Twelfth  Divisions,  First  Brigade  of 
Artillery,  Second  Brigade  of  Cavalry  and  a  mixed  Reserve 
brigade.     The   Second  Army,   under   General   Oku,   con- 

[275] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

tained  the  First,  Third,  Fourth,  and  Sixth  Divisions,  Sec- 
ond Artillery  Brigade  and  First  Cavalry  Brigade.  The 
Third  Army,  under  General  Nogi,  was  composed  of  the 
Seventh,  Ninth,  and  Eleventh  Divisions,  a  brigade  of  Siege 
Artillery,  and  a  mixed  Reserve  brigade ;  while  the  Fourth 
Army,  under  General  Nodzu,  consisted  of  the  Fifth  and 
Tenth  Divisions.  The  First  Division  of  the  Second  Army, 
after  the  battle  of  Nan  Shan,  was  assigned  to  Nogi's  Army 
and  participated  in  the  siege  of  Port  Arthur. 

"In  addition  to  the  various  regiments  composing  these 
armies,  each  division  was  provided  with  pontoon  bridges, 
supply  and  ammunition  trains,  field  and  telephone  detach- 
ments, and  six  field  hospitals.  The  aggregate  strength  of 
a  mobilized  division  amounts  to  something  over  20,000 
men,  besides  6,000  horses.  The  thirteen  divisions  there- 
fore contained  about  275,000  troops,  besides  50,000  men 
belonging  to  the  seven  separate  brigades.  It  is  more  than 
probable  that  Field-Marshal  Marquis  Oyama's  army  in 
Manchuria,  including  the  general  staff,  gendarmes,  trans- 
port, train,  medical,  and  commissariat  services,  in  addition 
to  General  Kawimura's  army  which  joined  before  the  bat- 
tle at  Mukden,  numbered  considerably  over  400,000  men. 

"I  may  as  well  add  here,  that  the  Japanese  have  added, 
since  the  Russo-Japanese  War,  six  additional  divisions  to 
their  army.  Opposed  to  the  Japanese,  the  Russians  had 
100,000  troops  in  Manchuria  and  Korea  when  war  was  de- 
clared, and  it  is  believed  that  with  the  limited  railroad 
facilities,  at  no  time  during  the  war  were  they  ever  after- 
wards able  to  muster  an  army  of  more  than  300,000  men 
in  the  Far  East. 

"We  will  now  return  to  the  movements  of  the  First 
Army  under  General  Kuroki  which  was  engaged  at  the 
battle  of  the  Yalu,  the  first  engagement  of  any  special  im- 
portance of  the  war.  While  the  largest  part  of  Kuroki 's 
army  landed  in  the  northern  part  of  the  Korean  Penin- 
sula, one  brigade  entered  Chemulpo  under  the  protection 
of  Admiral  Uriu's  squadron  and  took  possession  of  that 

[276] 


LAND  ENGAGEMENTS 

seaport.  This  brigade  eventually  marched  north,  partici- 
pating in  the  engagements  of  Pingyang  and  Chong-fu,  and 
finally  reached  Wiju  in  time  to  take  part  in  the  battle  of 
the  Yalu  which  began  on  the  thirtieth  of  April  and  termi- 
nated on  the  first  of  May. 

"General  Saussalitch,  who  commanded  the  Russian 
Army  of  about  20,000  men,  had  the  advantage  of  position 
and  was  besides  strongly  fortified,  while  General  Kuroki 
had  the  disadvantage  of  crossing  the  river  which  in  places 
had  to  be  waded.  It  is  said  that  the  Russian  commander 
made  a  poor  disposition  of  his  troops  and  should  have 
made  a  better  showing,  although  opposed  by  more  than 
double  his  force.  The  Russians  lost  in  killed  and  wounded 
about  5,000  men,  while  the  casualties  of  the  Japanese 
amounted  to  about  1,100. 

"After  crossing  the  Yalu  and  dispersing  the  Russian 
troops,  Kuroki  continued  his  march  north,  and  after  re- 
peated successes  succeeded  in  joining  the  Second  and 
Fourth  Armies  in  front  of  Liaoyang  where  one  of  the 
fiercest  battles  of  the  war  was  fought.  During  his  march 
north,  Kuroki  was  engaged  in  many  serious  engagements 
and  was  universally  successful.  Among  the  hard-fought 
battles  of  this  campaign  were  several  at  Motienling  Pass 
which  the  Russians  attempted  time  and  again  to  recover, 
under  the  command  of  General  Keller  with  an  army  of 
25,000  troops.  It  was  during  one  of  these  engagements 
that  General  Keller  was  killed.  In  spite  of  a  dozen  or 
more  small,  but  hard-fought  engagements  en  route  north, 
General  Kuroki  disposed  of  all  opposition  and  was  able  to 
join  Generals  Oku  and  Nodzu  at  Liaoyang  where  Kuro- 
patkin's  army  was  driven  before  its  final  stand  at  Mukden. 

"In  order  to  obtain  a  better  idea  of  the  Manchurian 
campaign  it  will  be  necessary  to  take  up  the  movements 
of  each  separate  army.  General  Oku,  who  commanded  the 
Second  Army,  landed  at  Elliott  Island  early  in  May  and 
remained  sheltered  there  until  the  result  of  Kuroki 's  en- 
gagement on  the  Yalu  was  known.    Immediately  after  the 

[277] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

Russians  were  driven  north  he  marched  across  the  Liao- 
tung  Peninsula,  brushing  all  opposition  aside,  and  began 
the  siege  of  Nan  Shan  which  is  located  a  few  miles  south 
of  the  old  Capital  of  Kinchow.  The  isthmus  is  very  nar- 
row at  that  point,  only  a  few  miles  across  from  sea  to  sea, 
and  consists  principally  of  sand-dunes  with  here  and  there 
an  out-cropping  rock. 

"The  Russians  had  strongly  fortified  Nan  Shan  and  a 
hill  immediately  south  and  west  known  as  Nankwanlien. 
They  had  planted  sixty-eight  guns  on  the  line  of  fortifica- 
tions on  the  crest  of  the  hills  and  extended  trenches  across 
the  isthmus  from  water  to  water.  In  front  of  these  in- 
trenchments  they  had  placed  a  most  complicated  system 
of  barbed-wire  entanglements  between  which  were  buried 
mines.  The  trenches  were  covered  with  iron  roofing,  spaces 
being  left  for  rifle  fire.  Twenty  of  the  guns  were  six  inches 
in  calibre,  and  were  subsequently  used  by  the  Japanese 
against  the  Russians  at  Liaoyang  and  Mukden. 

"I  will  not  attempt  to  describe  the  battle,  but  it  is 
enough  to  say  that  the  attack  began  early  in  the  morning 
of  May  26  and  lasted  until  7  p.m.  that  evening,  at  which 
hour  the  Russians  retreated  southward  and  finally  joined 
General  Stossel  at  Port  Arthur.  Great  difficulty  was  ex- 
perienced in  breaking  through  the  barbed-wire  entangle- 
ments which  so  effectually  screened  the  covered  intrench- 
ments  of  the  enemy.  The  fourth  division,  under  General 
Ogawa,  finally  waded  through  the  shallow  waters  of  the 
bay  and  made  a  flank  movement  on  the  enemy's  right 
which  put  them  to  flight.  The  Russians  lost  2,000  in  killed 
and  wounded,  besides  sixty-eight  field  guns,  ten  Maxim 
rapid-fire  guns  and  many  other  valuable  war  supplies. 
The  Japanese  lost  4,000,  among  whom  was  a  son  of  Gen- 
eral Nogi. 

"Immediately  following  this  victory  at  Nan  Shan,  Gen- 
eral Oku  marched  north,  winning  many  battles,  among 
which  may  be  mentioned  Tehlisz,  Kaiping,  Newchwang  and 
Tashihkao,  and  finally  joined  Generals  Kuroki  and  Nodzu 

[278] 


LAND  ENGAGEMENTS 

before  Liaoyang.  The  battle  of  Thelisz,  on  June  15,  was 
considered  a  great  victory  for  the  Japanese ;  with  an  army 
of  24,000  men,  they  defeated  the  Russians  with  an  army 
of  30,000  strongly  intrenched.  Each  side  employed  be- 
tween ninety  and  one  hundred  guns.  The  Japanese  losses 
amounted  to  1,000,  while  the  Russians  admitted  about 
2,000. 

1 '  On  July  9  General  Oku  drove  the  Russians  from  Kaip- 
ing  and  on  the  twenty-fourth  administered  a  defeat  to 
General  Kuropatkin  at  Tashihkao  where  the  latter  sus- 
tained a  loss  of  2,000  men.  The  engagement  of  Newchwang 
occurred  on  August  3,  and  from  that  date  until  the  latter 
part  of  August  Oku's  army  was  engaged  in  driving  the 
Russian  forces  ahead  of  him  towards  Liaoyang. 

"The  Fourth  Army,  under  the  command  of  General 
Nodzu,  landed  at  Takushan  about  the  nineteenth  of  May 
and  immediately  proceeded  north  to  join  the  other  two 
armies  which  were  to  confront  the  entire  Russian  forces 
sooner  or  later.  Marching  between  Kuroki  on  his  right  and 
Oku  on  his  left  he  encountered  the  Russians  at  a  number  of 
points  in  which  his  arms  were  invariably  successful. 

"Among  the  principal  engagements  during  this  cam- 
paign may  be  mentioned  Fenshuiling,  June  26,  and  To- 
mucheng,  July  31.  The  Russians  lost  in  the  latter  fight 
over  2,000  in  killed  and  wounded,  besides  a  large  quan- 
tity of  ammunition,  rifles,  and  other  supplies.  The  Japa- 
nese lost  about  1,000.  When  Nodzu  joined  Oku  and  Kur- 
oki, ten  battles,  besides  a  number  of  small  engagements, 
had  been  fought  in  Manchuria  in  every  one  of  which  the 
Russians  had  been  defeated.  In  their  own  territory,  with 
equal  forces  and  equipment,  these  results  were  entirely 
unexpected  to  the  world  at  large. 

"Before  the  general  engagement  at  Liaoyang  occurred, 
a  number  of  serious  affairs  had  taken  place  south  and  west 
with  the  three  columns  of  the  First  Army.  General  Kur- 
oki had  pressed  the  Russians  towards  Liaoyang  and 
occupied  the  right  bank   of  the   Tang-ho.     The   Second 

[279] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

Army  advanced  along  the  Liaoyang-Haicheng  road  and 
drove  the  enemy  from  their  positions  extending  from 
Anshantien  to  Tengaopao.  The  Fourth  Army  followed 
east  of  the  Liaoyang-Haicheng  road,  and  after  several  en- 
gagements drove  the  Russians  north  of  the  Sha-ho.  The 
position  of  the  Japanese  on  the  twenty-fourth  of  August 
was  as  follows :  Kuroki  on  the  right,  Nodzu  in  the  centre, 
and  Oku  on  the  left. 

"The  main  assault  on  Liaoyang  began  on  the  thirtieth 
of  August  and  continued  until  September  4,  on  which  day 
the  Japanese  entered  the  city.  The  Russians  had  most 
carefully  prepared  their  lines  of  defences  by  practically 
encircling  the  city  with  breastworks,  trenches,  and  barbed- 
wire  entanglements,  from  which  they  were  driven  after 
frequent  assaults  and  with  tremendous  losses.  On  the 
thirty-first  of  August.  Oku  put  in  position  the  heavy  siege 
guns  captured  at  Nan  Shan,  and  for  the  third  time  that 
day,  at  7  p.m.,  ordered  his  entire  line  to  charge  the  in- 
trenchments.  In  the  meanwhile,  Kuroki  made  a  flank 
movement  around  the  city  to  the  north,  with  the  intention 
of  destroying  the  railroad  to  Mukden  and  cutting  off  all 
northern  communication. 

"In  order  to  overcome  this  movement  Kuropatkin  or- 
dered his  first  and  second  defences  abandoned.  The  Japa- 
nese continued  assaults  on  the  second  and  third  of  Septem- 
ber and  approached  near  enough  to  shell  the  city -and  the 
railroad  bridge.  During  this  period  of  the  siege  the  Rus- 
sians began  evacuation  and  were  hastily  shipping  their 
guns,  supplies,  and  troops  north  to  Mukden.  In  the  mean- 
while Kuroki  crossed  the  Tai-tse  and  threatened  the  re- 
treating line  of  the  Russians,  while  the  main  army  entered 
the  city  on  the  fourth  of  September.  Kuropatkin  made  a 
masterful  retreat  from  Liaoyang  and  was  followed  by  the 
Japanese  almost  to  the  Hun,  during  which  many  hand  to 
hand  conflicts  took  place  with  the  rear-guard.  The  Jap- 
anese forces  at  Liaoyang  amounted  to  160,000  men,  while 
Kuropatkin    had    140,000.     The    Japanese    casualties    in 

[280] 


LAND  ENGAGEMENTS 

killed  and  wounded  were  17,535,  while  the  Russian  loss 
amounted  to  24,830. 

"The  day  following  the  capture  of  Liaoyang  the  Japa- 
nese began  preparations  for  an  advance  farther  north, 
although  the  Russians  had  destroyed  the  bridges  across  the 
Tai-tse.  Before  they  had  proceeded  very  far,  however, 
the  Russians  began  a  southerly  movement,  crossing  the 
Hun  again,  and  began  an  attack  on  the  Japanese  advance- 
guard.  A  large  number  of  serious  engagements  occurred 
north  of  Liaoyang  and  finally  culminated  in  the  great  bat- 
tle of  the  Sha-ho  from  October  8  to  12,  in  which  the 
Russians  were  completely  routed.  During  the  five  or  six 
engagements  from  September  5  to  October  15,  the  Jap- 
anese sustained  a  loss  of  15,878  while  the  casualties  of 
the  Russians  amounted  to  the  enormous  figures  of  60,000, 
13,333  of  whom  were  killed.  The  strength  of  the  Japanese 
at  the  Sha-ho  is  estimated  to  have  been  200,000,  while  the 
Russians  had  200,000  infantry  and  26,000  cavalry,  with 
950  guns.  Winter  was  now  coming  on,  and  both  armies 
intrenched  themselves  for  further  preparation  and  to  await 
developments  at  Port  Arthur. 

"We  will  now  return  to  Port  Arthur  which  for  months 
had  been  undergoing  one  of  the  most  memorable  sieges  re- 
corded in  the  pages  of  the  world's  history.  At  the  begin- 
ning of  the  war  this  celebrated  fortress  was  in  a  better 
state  of  defence  than  ever  before.  For  years  engineer  of- 
ficers had  been  at  work  and  many  millions  of  roubles  had 
been  spent  on  it.  Port  Arthur  lies  at  the  southern  ex- 
tremity of  the  Liaotung  Peninsula.  Louisa  and  Pigeon 
bays  lie  about  five  miles  away  on  the  western  coast,  and 
Dalny  on  Ta-lien-wan  Bay,  with  which  it  is  connected  by 
rail,  twenty-three  miles  east.  On  the  north,  thirty  miles 
distant,  is  located  Kinchow  on  the  famous  isthmus  at  the 
border  of  which  is  located  Nan  Shan,  where  General  Oku 
won  his  famous  battle  early  in  the  war. 

"The  town  of  Port  Arthur  lies  along  the  harbor  at  the 
foot  of  an  irregular  range  of  hills  extending  north  and 

[281] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

east  several  miles  and  intersected  by  deep  ravines  and  dry 
arroyas.  It  was  on  those  high  hills  to  the  north  and  east 
of  the  city  that  the  formidable  circle  of  fortifications  was 
located.  Around  the  fortifications  extended  connecting 
intrenchments,  protected  by  a  maze  of  barbed-wire  entan- 
glements which  seemed  impossible  to  overcome.  Besides 
the  fortifications  above  mentioned  Tiger's  Tail  and  Mount 
Man-tan-Shan,  at  the  entrance  of  the  harbor,  were  occu- 
pied with  the  heaviest  kind  of  defences.  Owing  to  its  po- 
sition and  impregnable  condition,  Port  Arthur  has  here- 
tofore been  considered  the  'Gibraltar  of  the  East.' 

"Early  in  August  General  Nogi,  who  commanded  the 
Third  Army  at  the  siege  of  Port  Arthur,  had  driven  the 
Russian  outposts  to  within  six  miles  of  the  Fort  and  on 
the  sixteenth  of  the  month  demanded  its  surrender. 
On  the  nineteenth  by  an  assault  he  carried  174  Metre  Hill 
on  the  north  and  Panlungshan  Fort  on  the  east. 

"We  have  not  sufficient  time  to  enter  into  the  details 
of  the  hundreds  of  fearless  assaults  made  by  the  Japanese, 
which  were  repelled  with  equal  bravery  on  the  part  of  the 
Russians.  Each  month  the  net  was  drawn  more  tightly 
around  the  doomed  fort  and  when  General  Stossel  found 
that  it  was  foolhardy  to  hold  out  longer,  he  surrendered 
on  January  fourth.  After  the  capture  of  203  Metre 
Hill  the  Japanese  destroyed  the  remaining  ships  in  the 
harbor  by  indirect  fire.  Although  General  Stossel  was 
tried  by  court-martial  for  surrender,  his  brave  defence 
of  the  fortress  during  those  long  and  dreary  six  months 
has  won  the  praise  of  the  entire  world,  including  Japan. 
During  the  siege  the  Russians  lost  in  killed  10,000  and 
17,000  in  sick  and  wounded.  The  Japanese  were  reported 
to  have  lost  40,000  in  killed  and  wounded. 

"Let  us  now  return  north  to  Mukden  where  Kuropatkin 
was  lying  with  an  army  of  300,000  men  awaiting  devel- 
opments at  Port  Arthur.  Several  weeks  after  the  surren- 
der of  General  Stossel,  Kuropatkin  crossed  the  Hun  and 
attacked  the  left  wing  of  the  Japanese  at  Chen-chieh-pu 

[282] 


LAND  ENGAGEMENTS 

and  Hei-kan-tai.  On  the  next  day  a  large  Japanese  force 
was  sent  up,  resulting  in  a  fierce  engagement  and  defeat 
of  the  Russians.  The  Russians  lost  in  this  fight  10,000 
while  the  Japanese  lost  7,000. 

"Shortly  afterwards  was  begun  before  Mukden  the  final 
land  engagement  of  the  war,  which  was  waged  along  a  hun- 
dred miles  of  front.  In  addition  to  the  armies  of  Kuroki, 
Oku,  and  Nodzu,  Nogi  had  joined  from  Port  Arthur  and  a 
new  army  from  Japan  under  Kawimura.  After  a  week  of 
hard  fighting  the  Russians  abandoned  the  city  on  March 
10  and  marched  north  towards  Harbin,  leaving  Muk- 
den in  the  hands  of  the  'Japanese.  It  is  stated  that  the 
entire  Russian  army  became  a  disorganized  body  of  fugi- 
tives during  the  retreat  to  Mukden,  except  the  centre  which 
was  commanded  by  General  Linevitch,  who  superseded 
General  Kuropatkin  in  command  after  the  battle.  The 
Japanese  are  estimated  to  have  lost  from  60,000  to  100,000 
in  killed  and  wounded  during  the  preliminary  attacks  and 
siege,  while  the  losses  of  the.  Russians  are  believed  to  have 
been  near  150,000.  Among  the  trophies  captured  by  the 
Japanese  were  sixty  field  guns  besides  a  large  quantity  of 
artillery  and  rifle  ammunition.  Both  armies  were  com- 
pletely worn  out  after  the  six  weeks'  constant  fighting  and 
were  willing  to  rest  before  renewing  the  conflict. 

"Long  before  the  Russians  had  committed  the  greatest 
blunder  of  the  war,  in  despatching  Rodjestvensky's  fleet 
to  the  Far  East,  the  futility  of  prolonging  the  conflict  had 
become  apparent  to  the  world  at  large.  Russia  had  proven 
herself  in  no  wise  a  match  for  the  Japanese  either  in  her 
preparations,  or  the  strategical  ability  of  her  generals.  To 
continue  the  war  meant  greater  sacrifices  of  human  life, 
with  no  corresponding  advantage  to  the  Russian  arms. 
Early  in  the  summer,  after  consultation  with  the  powers, 
Mr.  Roosevelt,  President  of  the  United  States,  proposed 
negotiations  which  received  favorable  consideration  from 
the  belligerent  nations. 

1 '  Russia  sent  Count  Witte  and  Baron  Rosen,  her  minister 
[283] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

at  "Washington,  and  Japan  appointed  Baron  Komura  and 
Mr.  Takahira.  Owing  to  the  heat  of  summer  the  repre- 
sentatives met  at  Portsmouth,  New  Hampshire,  on  the  fifth 
of  August.  Baron  Komura  made  a  large  number  of  ex- 
travagant propositions  to  the  Russians,  which  were  bluntly 
refused,  among  which  was  an  indemnity  of  $600,000,000 
and  the  entire  island  of  Saghalien.  After  three  weeks' 
discussion  a  favorable  issue  was  reached  on  the  twenty-sixth 
of  August. 

"By  the  treaty  Russia  acknowledged  Japan's  paramount 
interest  in  Korea;  transferred  the  lease  of  Port  Arthur 
with  Chang-chung-fu  and  Kwan-chang-tsu,  the  coal  mines 
in  the  neighborhood  and  the  southern  half  of  Saghalien 
Island,  with  the  proviso  that  no  military  measures  be  taken 
to  impede  navigation  in  the  straits  of  La  Pelouse  and  Tar- 
tary.  Both  parties  agreed  to  evacuate  Manchuria,  except 
the  concession  in  the  Liaotung  Peninsula,  within  eighteen 
months  and  to  restore  its  control  to  China.  Besides  these 
articles  there  were  a  number  of  minor  agreements. 

"The  terms  of  the  treaty  proved  highly  unsatisfactory 
to  the  people  of  both  nations  and  produced  serious  riots 
in  those  countries.  The  Japanese  people  had  hoped  for 
a  large  money  indemnity  besides  the  cession  of  the  entire 
Island  of  Saghalien,  while  the  Russians  wanted  to  raise  an 
army  of  600,000  men  and  continue  the  war.  Martial  law 
was  proclaimed  in  Japan  after  the  mob  had  thrown  stones 
at  Marquis  Ito  whom  they  held  responsible  for  the  favor- 
able concessions  to  Russian  demands.  In  the  meanwhile 
feeling  ran  so  high  in  Russia  that  the  people  threatened  a 
national  revolution.  In  the  course  of  a  few  months,  how- 
ever, both  nations  calmed  down  and  recognized  the  mutual 
advantages  in  the  treaty. 

"Several  years  after  the  conclusion  of  peace  General 
Kuropatkin  issued  a  book  entitled  '  The  Russian  Army  and 
the  Japanese  War,'  in  which  he  summarizes  various  rea- 
sons for  the  Russian  reverses.  Among  these  he  refers  to 
the  minor  part  played  by  the  fleet,  the  small  carrying  ca- 

[  284  ] 


LAND  ENGAGEMENTS 

pacity  of  the  Siberian  and  Eastern  Chinese  railways,  lack 
of  diplomatic  arrangements  to  permit  the  unhampered  des- 
patch and  distribution  of  troops,  delay  in  mobilizing  rein- 
forcements, disadvantage  of  partial  mobilization,  the  trans- 
fer of  the  regulars  to  the  reserves,  delay  of  arrival  of  new 
conscripts  at  the  front,  weakness  of  disciplinary  measures 
among  the  commanders,  delay  in  promoting  officers  for 
gallant  and  distinguished  services  and  the  inadequacy  of 
money  allotted  the  army  from  1898  to  1903,  and  to  meet 
the  present  demands. 

' '  He  also  states  that  the  high  moral  tone  among  the  Jap- 
anese officers  and  men  contributed  to  their  success,  and 
that  they  were  saturated  with  a  patriotism  imbibed  with 
their  mothers'  milk.  He  also  spoke  highly  of  the  simple 
life  led  by  the  highest  ranking  Japanese  officers  in  con- 
trast to  that  of  the  Russians. 

"General  Kuropatkin  might  have  gone  much  further 
in  his  summary  of  causes  which  led  to  his  universal  fail- 
ure to  win  battles.  One  of  the  greatest  factors  conducive 
to  Japanese  success  was  the  excellent  moral  training  of 
both  officers  and  men  and  their  temperate  habits.  Very 
few  of  the  Japanese  officers  or  men  drank  anything  be- 
sides their  native  drink,  sake,  which  is  low  in  alcoholic  po- 
tentiality, and  none  of  them  were  hampered  with  lewd 
women  either  in  garrison  or  field.  On  the  other  hand  the 
Russians  were  excessive  in  the  use  of  the  very  strongest 
alcoholic  drinks  and  openly  courted  an  immoral  life.  It 
is  generally  known  that  during  most  important  and  serious 
engagements  officers  of  the  highest  rank  found  time  to  pay 
court  to  their  mistresses  who  were  permitted  to  accompany 
them  to  the  field  and  were  even  provided  with  tents  in 
which  to  live. 

"Many  of  the  officers'  wives  accompanied  their  husbands 
to  the  field  under  the  guise  of  Sisters  of  Mercy  and  were 
known  as  'Margarine  Sisters.'  These  sister- wives  had  a 
nefarious  influence  on  the  army,  for  during  the  lulls  in 
military  operations  they  would  flirt  with  the  young  officers, 

[285] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

causing  jealousy  on  the  part  of  their  husbands  and  neglect 
of  duty.  Moreover,  these  women  impeded  the  movement 
of  the  troops  and  frequently  deprived  the  sick  and 
wounded  of  the  trains  necessary  to  carry  them  back  to  the 
general  hospitals.  The  oft-quoted  statement,  'that  the 
fighting  man  must  be  a  drinking  man,'  was  proved  abso- 
lutely erroneous  during  the  war  between  the  drinking  Rus- 
sians and  the  temperate  Japanese. 

"In  summing  up  the  Japanese  losses  during  the  war, 
Surgeon-General  Kepke  states  that  47,387  were  killed  in 
action  and  172,425  wounded,  and  that  the  total  killed, 
wounded,  and  sick  during  the  entire  war  amounted  to  554,- 
885  men.  Three  hundred  and  twenty  thousand  sick  were 
returned  to  Japan  for  treatment,  which  rather  opposes  the 
idea  that  the  sanitary  arrangements  of  the  Japanese  army 
were  carried  out  so  perfectly  that  but  few  were  taken  sick. 
One  hundred  and  thirty-five  thousand  were  killed  or  died 
during  the  war,  about  14.58  per  cent  of  the  total  strength 
mobilized  and  in  action.  From  these  figures  it  will  be 
seen  that  Japan  called  at  least  1,500,000  men  to  the  colors 
during  the  war. 

"Since  the  termination  of  that  great  conflict,  which 
demonstrated  to  the  world  that  in  future  Japan  will  have 
to  be  considered  in  settling  the  disputes  of  the  Orient,  the 
empire  has  continued  to  increase  its  army  and  navy,  al- 
though both  have  reached  a  high  standard  of  efficiency 
and  compare  favorably  with  those  of  the  great  nations  of 
the  world.  "Whether  these  preparations  are  simply  made 
to  maintain  peace  at  home  or  to  enable  them  later  on  to 
cast  the  gantlet  at  the  feet  of  some  conflicting  nation,  are 
problems  which  time  alone  can  solve." 


[286] 


CHAPTER  XXIX 

50UENEY  FROM  YOKOHAMA  TO  KIOTO 

The  American  Fleet  in  Yokohama  —  The  Departure 
for  Kioto  —  The  Old  Admiral  and  the  Native  Lunch 
—  The    Tokaido   and    Nakasendo    Highways  —  Oiso, 

kozu,    and    gotemba mio-no-matsubara    and    the 

Drama  of  The  Robe  of  Feathers  —  Kunozan  and  the 
Tomb  of  Ieyasu  —  Nagoya,  the  Capital  of  Owari  — 
The  Old  Castle  —  Atsuta  and  the  Temple  of  the 
Sacred  Sword  —  The  Seto  Potteries  —  The  Nagoya 
Hotel  and  Japanese  Maids  —  Gifu  and  Cormorant 
Fishing  —  Seki-ga-hara  and  Head  Mounds  —  Arrival 
in  Kioto. 

MY  friends,"  said  the  Major,  the  day  following  our 
return  from  Myanoshita  and  the  District  of  Ha- 
kone,  "our  visit  to  Northern  Japan  is  over.  We  must 
leave  gay  Yokohama,  with  its  brilliant  decorations  in 
honor  of  the  arriving  American  fleet,  and  hie  away  to 
Kioto  and  Nara  which  are  in  the  heart  of  old  Japan." 

Great  preparations  had  been  made  by  the  Japanese  gov- 
ernment for  the  reception  of  Uncle  Sam's  battle-ships,  both 
in  Yokohama  and  the  national  capital  at  the  date  of  our 
departure  south,  and  it  is  doubtful  whether  any  civic  or 
military  display  in  the  United  States  would  have  equalled 
by  half  that  provided  for  us,  even  had  our  fleet  returned 
from  a  brilliant  victory  against  the  most  formidable  navy 
of  the  world.  Whosoever  understands  the  Oriental  char- 
acter, let  him  step  forth  and  declare. 

Mutterings  of  impending  trouble  in  the  Far  East  had 
[287] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

found  their  way  to  the  remotest  corners  of  the  Great  Re- 
public ;  Japanese  spies,  in  the  guise  of  peddlers  of  pinoche, 
dulces,  and  other  fol-de-rol  were  found  on  every  carabao 
trail  throughout  the  island  of  fair  Luzon ;  the  hills  around 
Olongapo  in  Subig  Bay,  where  our  government  was  rapidly 
building  sea-coast  defences,  were  bristling  with  Japanese 
draughtsmen,  making  sketches  of  our  emplacements;  they 
had  photographed  Corregidor;  the  names  of  every  officer 
and  the  number  of  enlisted  men  in  our  service  in  the  Phil- 
ippines, were  in  the  hands  of  the  War  Office  in  Tokio,  and 
our  battle-ships  in  Manila  Bay  were  practically  cleared 
for  action,  when  the  Strenuous  One  in  Washington  ordered 
those  sixteen  modern  death-dealing  machines  to  tour  the 
world. 

Can  any  one  doubt  why  they  were  sent  to  the  Orient  at 
that  critical  time,  and  why  they  found  their  way  into  the 
old  bay  of  Yedo,  under  the  very  shadow  of  the  Mikado's 
palace  ?  Every  school  child  in  Japan  had  solved  the  prob- 
lem months  before  the  fleet  arrived,  and  yet  with  banners 
and  banzais  they  had  assembled  on  the  bund  and  cliffs  of 
Yokohama  to  do  our  government  honor. 

From  the  centre  of  the  city  to  the  farthest  outlying 
suburb  and  hamlet  Yokohama  was  on  parade.  The  prin- 
cipal thoroughfares  were  arched  with  the  entwined  ban- 
ners of  America  and  Japan;  public  buildings,  stores,  pal- 
aces, and  huts  were  covered  with  brilliant  bunting;  work 
was  suspended  and  hundreds  of  thousands  of  loyal  Japa- 
nese citizens  from  all  sections  of  the  country,  at  the  nod 
of  the  Mikado,  in  gala  attire,  were  on  the  streets  to  pay 
us  tribute,  although  in  their  very  hearts  each  one  realized 
that  instead  of  a  friendly  visit  our  fleet  was  but  a  show 
of  force. 

The  Japanese  are  a  conglomerate  race  into  which  enters 
largely  Malay  blood,  blood  which  for  centuries  has  been 
shed  in  Java,  in  the  Philippines,  in  Formosa,  among  the 
volcanic  islands  strewn  along  the  course  of  the  Black  Cur- 
rent as  far  north  as  the  Island  of  Kyushu  and  through- 

[288] 


YOKOHAMA  TO  KIOTO 

out  Japan,  in  sufficient  quantities  to  float  the  navies  of  the 
world.  It  is  this  which  explains  the  apparent  ecstasy  of 
the  Japanese  people  on  the  occasion  above  mentioned,  be- 
cause of  their  Malay  blood.  It  was  the  dying  friar  Mari- 
ano, who  had  spent  his  life  in  the  Philippines  in  the  serv- 
ice of  that  singular  race,  who  said :  ' '  I  have  lived  in  these 
islands  forty  years  in  the  closest  intimacy  with  the  Filipino 
people,  and  yet  I  know  absolutely  nothing  of  their  charac- 
ter, for  they  are  Malays.  • ' 

In  spite  of  the  brilliant  national  ovation  and  fetes,  our 
plans  were  completed  for  leaving  the  next  morning  for 
Kioto,  which  for  a  thousand  years  had  been  the  Sacred 
Capital  of  the  Mikado.  Our  train  left  at  an  early  morn- 
ing hour,  thus  affording  us  an  excellent  opportunity  to  en- 
joy the  picturesque  scenery  along  the  railway  which  fol- 
lows the  old  Tokaido  Highway  almost  the  entire  distance 
to  Kioto.  The  government,  which  owns  the  railway  system 
in  Japan,  has  arranged  a  very  comfortable  daily  express 
train  from  Tokio  and  Yokohama  to  Shimonoseki,  which 
makes  the  entire  journey  in  twenty-seven  hours.  This 
train  de  luxe  is  provided  with  a  sleeper  and  diner  com- 
bined, which  renders  the  long  journey  both  comfortable 
and  pleasant  and  at  a  very  reasonable  cost  besides.  If  I 
remember  correctly  the  railroad  ticket  from  Yokohama  to 
Shimonoseki  and  the  passage  across  the  Japanese  Sea  to 
Fusan,  Korea,  cost  only  $14.25,  a  distance  of  850  miles  by 
land  and  sea.  I  may  just  as  well  add  that  the  extra  charge 
for  sleeper  the  entire  distance  was  $1.25,  while  the  break- 
fasts, lunches,  and  dinners  ranged  from  twenty-five  to 
forty  cents.  It  does  seem,  after  all,  that  governmental 
railroad  ownership  is  of  advantage  at  least  to  the  travel- 
ling public. 

After  the  usual  battle  of  words  at  the  railway  station 
with  the  ricksha  men  over  the  cost  of  transportation  for 
ourselves  and  baggage  from  the  hotel,  we  reached  our 
train  but  a  few  moments  before  its  departure.  Although 
a  regular  tariff  list  of  ricksha  charges  for  the  guidance  of 
19  [  289  ] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

travellers  has  been  published  in  every  city  of  Japan,  these 
indispensable  servants  of  the  public  regard  tourists  as  their 
legitimate  prey  in  the  Orient,  as  do  the  drivers  of  public 
conveyances  in  other  parts  of  the  world. 

Unless  the  traveller  understands  in  advance  what  he  is 
required  to  pay,  a  demand  is  liable  to  be  made  for  double, 
nay,  treble  the  price  which,  unless  acceded  to,  results  in  a 
miserable  wrangle  a  few  moments  before  the  departing 
train  and  at  a  time  when  the  unfortunate  victim  is  unable 
to  adjust  the  matter  with  justice  to  himself.  The  trav- 
eller in  Japan  as  well  as  in  other  parts  of  the  world  should 
keep  himself  thoroughly  posted  in  such  matters  and  let  the 
fact  be  known  at  the  time  of  engaging  the  transportation, 
if  he  hopes  to  travel  in  peace  and  to  escape  endless  discus- 
sion with  the  hackney  tribe.  Disagreeable  contentions  with 
cabbies  and  ricksha  men  over  the  price  of  the  fare  fade 
away,  however,  into,  utter  insignificance  when  compared 
with  the  insolence  of  waiters  and  flunkies,  whose  ideas  in 
the  matter  of  tips  have  been  utterly  perverted  by  vulgar 
parvenus  desirous  of  demonstrating  their  importance  by 
throwing  money  away  for  unmerited  service.  The  ridicu- 
lous prodigality  of  this  class  of  globe-trotters  make  travel- 
ling difficult  and  unpleasant  for  gentlemen  of  limited 
means  and,  besides,  advertises  as  a  rule  the  fact  that  their 
sires  were  successful  brewers,  or  had  acquired  sudden 
wealth  by  a  "lucky  strike"  in  the  Klondike  or  from  a 
"strong  gusher"  in  some  Western  oil  field. 

On  entering  the  sleeper  we  encountered  a  very  interest- 
ing group  of  Japanese  naval  officers  who  were  returning 
to  the  Naval  Station  of  Kure  after  a  visit  to  Yokohama  to 
see  the  great  American  fleet.  Among  the  number  was  a 
gallant  old  admiral  who  had  grown  gray  in  the  service 
and  lost  an  eye  during  the  recent  engagement  with  the 
Russian  fleet  in  the  Sea  of  Japan.  The  Japanese  are  very 
democratic  in  their  ideas  of  life,  no  matter  how  exalted 
their  official  or  social  status  may  be.  This  was  manifested 
by  our  old  naval  hero,  who  alighted  at  one  of  the  small  sta- 

[290] 


YOKOHAMA  TO  KIOTO 

tions  en  route  and  purchased  a  box  of  lunch  from  one  of 
the  numerous  peddlers  for  the  small  sum  of  twelve  cents. 
I  quite  envied  the  old  admiral  as  he  disposed  of  his  lunch 
with  his  brand  new  chopsticks  which  accompanied  the 
box. 

Native  lunches  are  put  up  in  attractive  little  wooden 
boxes,  immaculately  white  and  bound  up  artistically  with 
pale  green  bands  of  rice-straw.  I  could  not  but  notice  the 
contents  of  the  admiral's  lunch,  which  consisted  of  a  half- 
pound  of  the  whitest  boiled  rice,  a  prawn  croquette,  a  small 
piece  of  fried  chicken,  a  bit  of  white  fish,  a  slice  of  egg 
omelette,  farina  jelly,  preserved  ginger  and  chestnuts,  and 
a  few  pieces  of  sweet  pickle.  To  accompany  this  delicate 
and  appetizing  menu  he  had  purchased  a  dainty  little 
glazed  tea-pot  with  a  cup,  which  was  filled  with  Kioto's 
choicest  up-land  brand  of  pale  straw,  and  all  for*  four  sen, 
or  two  cents  of  our  currency. 

Tea  is  the  common  beverage  in  Japan  and  is  universally 
drank  by  peasant  or  noble.  It  matters  not  where  you  go 
or  what  section  of  the  country  you  penetrate,  you  will  be 
met  by  the  inevitable  cup  of  weak  green  tea.  Whether 
you  like  it  or  not  you  must  drink,  and  drink  again,  or  else 
insult  the  hospitality  of  the  people,  nor  can  you  ever  hope 
to  escape  the  tea-habit  if  you  live  in  Japan.  The  choicest 
production  comes  from  the  plantations  between  Kioto  and 
Nara  in  the  heart  of  Old  Japan,  although  the  herb  grows 
further  north.  Mr.  Hillyer,  who  was  engaged  in  the  ex- 
portation of  tea  from  Japan  for  many  years,  states  that 
40,000,000  pounds  are  annually  exported  to  America  alone, 
the  most  going  to  San  Francisco  and  New  York.  The  best 
growth  can  be  purchased  in  Japan  for  twenty-five  cents  a 
pound,  although  it  costs  thrice  that  sum  abroad.  Tea  was 
introduced  into  Japan  from  China  by  the  Buddhist  priests, 
who  drank  quite  copiously  of  the  herb  in  order  to  keep 
themselves  awake  during  their  nocturnal  vigils. 

While  the  admiral  was  enjoying  his  lunch  his  aide-de- 
camp, who  was  an  officer  with  the  rank  of  lieutenant-com- 

[291] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

mander,  purchased  a  bouquet  of  chrysanthemums  which 
was  hung  up  for  the  pleasure  of  all.  The  Japanese  are 
a  Nature-loving  people  and  the  government  is  paternal  in 
the  extreme.  Who  else  but  the  Japanese  would  require 
sterilized  milk  to  be  kept  for  sale  at  all  of  the  stations  for 
the  infant  class  of  travellers  ?  Thousands  of  lives  of  babes 
are  thus  saved  yearly  to  the  country  through  this  wise  and 
valuable  sanitary  order  of  the  Mikado.  Japan  will  need 
soldiers  to  fight  her  battles  in  the  future  in  order  to  main- 
tain her  supremacy  in  the  Far  East  and  every  child  saved 
is  a  warrior  gained,  be  it  male  or  female,  for  the  women 
are  as  brave  and  useful  as  the  men  when  it  comes  to  war. 

The  bed  of  the  railroad  between  Tokio  and  Kioto  follows 
the  old  Tokaido  Highway,  and  is  known  as  the  Tokaido 
Railway,  or  the  Eastern  Sea  Road.  It  was  completed  dur- 
ing the  Summer  of  1889.  Before  the  Tokaido  Railway  was 
constructed  the  government  was  planning  to  build  the  great 
north  and  south  artery  via  the  Nakasendo,  or  the  Central 
Mountain  Road,  which  runs  from  Kioto  through  Gifu, 
Fukushima,  and  Oya  along  the  central  backbone  of  the 
country,  miles  from  the  seashore.  This  plan  was  aban- 
doned on  account  of  the  many  engineering  difficulties  en- 
countered along  the  road.  The  Nakasendo  Highway  seems 
to  have  been  originally  constructed  in  the  eighth  century, 
although  it  has  a  legendary  history  which  goes  back  as  far 
as  the  year  71  a.d.  It  is  likely  that  a  trail  passed  through 
this  section  during  the  early  days,  when  the  entire  country 
was  in  the  possession  of  the  Ainos. 

The  origin  of  the  Tokaido  Highway  dates  back  many  cen- 
turies also,  although  its  prominence  did  not  begin  before 
the  seventeenth  century  as  a  result  of  the  transfer  of  the 
shogunate  to  Yedo  in  1598.  From  this  time  on  the  Tokaido 
became  the  most  prominent  highway  in  the  empire  and  was 
practically  crowded  throughout  the  entire  year.  The  sho- 
gun  required  daimios  or  feudal  lords  to  beautify  and  main- 
tain in  excellent  condition  those  sections  which  passed 
through  their  respective  provinces,  so  that  in  the  course 

'  [  292  ] 


YOKOHAMA  TO  KIOTO 

of  time  it  became  the  most  beautiful  and  picturesque  high- 
way in  the  kingdom.  The  roadbed  was  evenly  graded, 
macadamized,  and  covered  with  small  pebbles,  while  the 
sides  of  the  avenue  were  ornamented  with  majestic  cryp- 
tomerias  or  fringed  with  the  frenzied  and  distorted-look- 
ing rows  of  pines  which  may  still  be  occasionally  seen 
as  the  train  hurries  by  on  the  road  between  Kioto  and 
Tokio.  Curiously  enough,  since  the  establishment  of  the 
railway  the  government  officials  have  cut  down  many  of  the 
handsome  cryptomerias  on  the  sides  of  the  highway  in  or- 
der to  put  up  the  telegraph  poles  and  string  the  wires, 
which  vandalism  they  considered  in  the  line  of  Western 
progress. 

The  beauty  of  the  Tokaido,  especially  in  connection  with 
Fujiyama,  has  been  immortalized  by  numerous  native  art- 
ists, and  although  the  railway  has  in  a  measure  done  away 
with  the  journey  by  road,  the  great  highway  will  ever  re- 
main familiar  to  the  admirers  of  Hokusai  and  Hiroshige. 
For  centuries  the  powerful  daimios  in  gilded  palanquins 
escorted  by  glittering  retinues  of  armed  samurai  and  re- 
tainers made  their  semi-annual  visits  to  the  throne  of  the 
shogun  at  Yedo  over  the  Tokaido,  from  the  distant  prov- 
inces of  the  South  and  West.  Long  processions  of  white- 
robed  pilgrims  led  by  chanting  priests,  trains  of  merchants 
with  their  packs  of  valuable  merchandise,  groups  of  men, 
women,  and  children,  in  kago  or  afoot,  and  bands  of  gayly 
attired  courtesans  and  geisha  girls,  contributed  to  the 
endless  crowds  which  surged  backwards  and  forwards  dur- 
ing the  four  seasons  of  the  year.  Like  the  knights-errant 
of  old  the  two-sworded  men,  one  sword  for  self-defence, 
the  other  for  hara-kiri  or  the  "happy  despatch,"  were 
prominent  figures  in  the  moving  kaleidoscope  of  the  old 
highway,  as  well  as  the  hoi-polloi,  who  added  to  the  setting 
of  the  numerous  tea-houses  and  resting-sheds  on  the  way. 

It  is  said  that  after  the  establishment  of  the  shogunate 
at  Yedo,  which  was  in  1595,  the  Tokaido  was  the  busiest 
thoroughfare  in  the  Empire  and  more  crowded  than  any 

[293] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

street  in  the  gay  capital.  No  daimio  or  prominent  official 
was  allowed  to  travel  unattended  by  a  suitable  retinue  and 
the  situation  corresponded  exactly  with  the  feudal  days 
of  Europe.  The  etiquette  of  the  road  was  well  defined 
and  when  the  trains  of  two  lords  met  passing  in  opposite  di- 
rections, it  was  incumbent  upon  the  one  of  lesser  degree 
to  draw  to  the  side  of  the  road  with  his  retinue  while  the 
other  passed  by. 

The  approach  of  a  noble  lord  was  heralded  hundreds  of 
yards  in  advance  by  outriders  and  it  was  customary  for 
the  commonalty  of  the  people  who  happened  to  be  on  the 
road  to  step  aside  and  make  a  low  bow  as  the  great  man 
passed.  Woe  be  to  him  who  violated  this  social  law,  for  if 
his  life  were  not  forfeited  on  the  spot  he  could  consider  him- 
self fortunate  indeed  if  left  with  only  a  maimed  arm  or  a 
permanent  injury  as  a  result. 

Alas  for  the  picturesque  and  romantic!  The  Revolu- 
tion of  1868  swept  away  feudalism  and  the  power  of  the 
daimio.  The  samurai  has  gone  and  his  sword  and  spear 
have  been  sent  to  the  curio  shops  for  sale.  Thousands 
of  blades  equal  to  the  best  Toledos  have  been  purchased 
by  tourists  from  the  four  corners  of  the  globe,  while  their 
chivalrous  owners  have  glided  away  into  the  masses  of  the 
people  unknown  and  unheard  of,  and  unfitted  for  work  of 
any  kind.  The  spirit  of  Bushido,  which  for  untold  cen- 
turies has  been  inherent  in  the  breast  of  every  true  son  of 
Nippon,  made  it  possible  for  feudalism  to  pass  away  at  the 
command  of  the  Mikado,  and  for  the  powerful  lords  to  re- 
linquish at  once  their  landed  holdings  and  muster  out 
their  powerful  armies  of  samurai  and  retainers.  With  the 
abolishment  of  castles,  landed  estates,  and  armies,  passed 
away  also  right  to  wear  the  sword  and  the  badge  of  honor, 
and  it  is  said  that  many  a  noble  knight  wept  like  a  devoted 
mother  who  loses  her  first  born,  when  ordered  to  lay  aside 
forever  the  faithful  blade  which  in  many  instances  had 
been  worn  by  his  illustrious  sires  for  generations  past. 

The  Tokaido  follows  the  base  of  the  mountainous  hills 
[294] 


YOKOHAMA  TO  KIOTO 

and  hugs  the  shore  of  the  Pacific  almost  the  entire  distance 
from  Tokio  to  Kioto,  as  a  result  of  which  it  penetrates  the 
most  beautiful  sections  of  the  country  and  affords  innu- 
merable glimpses  of  superb  mountain  and  ocean  scenery. 
Occasionally  as  the  train  makes  a  turn  here  and  there  a 
gentle  deer  may  be  seen  bounding  away  among  the  hills  or 
a  startled  hare  seeking  the  protection  of  a  neighboring 
copse  or  thicket.  In  1872  the  government  established  a 
postal  route  along  the  Tokaido  between  Tokio  and  Kioto, 
which  journey  required  from  twelve  to  thirteen  days,  but 
it  is  now  made  in  as  many  hours  by  the  express  train. 

"Well,  gentlemen,"  said  the  Major,  "as  we  will  be  un- 
able to  stop  at  the  many  interesting  points  en  route,  we 
will  have  to  be  satisfied  with  a  view  from  the  car  window 
and  the  descriptions  given  us  by  Professor  Chamberlin,  the 
principal  compiler  of  Murray's  excellent  'Hand  Book  of 
Japan.'  " 

After  leaving  Yokohama  we  pass  Oiso,  which  is  worthy 
of  notice  because  it  has  become  a  popular  bathing-resort 
and  summer  residence  for  many  of  the  native  political 
leaders  who  own  handsome  villas  on  the  slopes  of  the  hills 
or  close  to  the  beach.  It  is  said  that  at  this  quiet  resort 
many  meetings  occur  at  which  important  policies  of  the 
government  are  dictated  and  cabinet  officials  appointed  or 
dismissed.  Oiso  is  a  place  of  considerable  antiquity  and 
was  mentioned  in  the  history  of  the  Soga  brethren,  whose 
deaths  occurred  in  the  twelfth  century. 

Shortly  after  leaving  Oiso  we  reach  Kozu,  the  gateway 
to  those  famous  mountain  resorts,  Myanoshita  and  Hakone. 
From  this  point  the  road  passes  through  a  country  of  re- 
markable beauty  and  climbs  the  hills  leading  to  Gotemba, 
at  an  altitude  of  1,500  feet,  the  services  of  two  engines 
being  required  to  draw  the  train.  It  will  be  remembered 
that  Gotemba  is  the  station  where  the  traveller  detrains  to 
visit  Fujiyama  and  is  located  on  a  broad  and  fertile  plain 
at  the  base  of  the  volcano.  It  was  near  this  famous  town 
that  the  great  Yoritomo  established  his  hunting  lodge,  in 

[295] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

the  twelfth  century,  where  he  used  to  beguile  with  hound 
and  hawk  the  few  leisure  moments  he  could  spare. from 
the  cares  and  worries  of  official  life.  Thirty  miles  further 
along  and  after  passing  a  number  of  important  towns,  we 
reach  Sukukawa  where  the  nearest  and  most  perfect  view 
of  Fujiyama  is  obtained,  and  a  few  moments  later  Okitsu 
which  is  beautifully  located  on  the  Bay  of  Suraga  and 
commands  a  fine  view  of  the  mountainous  Peninsula  of 
Izu  and  the  wooded  sand-dune  of  Mio-no-matsubara, 
celebrated  alike  in  poetry  and  song. 

Some  distance  to  the  right  lie  the  blue  hills  of  Kunozan 
with  the  white  seaport  town  of  Shimizu  clinging  to  their 
base.  It  is  at  Mio-no-matsubara  that  the  scene  of  the 
Japanese  lyric  drama,  "The  Robe  of  Feathers,"  is  laid  in 
which  the  old  fisherman  finds  the  robe  hanging  on  a  tree, 
left  there  by  a  fairy  goddess.  He  finally  returns  it  to  her 
on  condition  that  she  perform  a  dance  only  known  to  the 
immortals.  Draped  in  the  robe  she  dances  beneath  the 
pines  on  the  beach  and  is  finally  caught  by  a  breeze  and 
wafted  heavenwards  past  Fuji.  A  small  shrine  celebrates 
the  spot,  which  contains  a  relic  of  the  robe. 

An  interesting  visit  by  ricksha  may  be  made  from  Okitsu 
to  the  hills  of  Kunozan  where  the  great  shogun  Ieyasu 
was  originally  interred.  In  1617  the  body,  with  great 
pomp  and  ceremony,  was  transferred  to  Nik-ko,  although 
it  is  claimed  that  his  body  still  reposes  on  the  summit  of 
Kunozan  and  that  only  a  single  hair  from  his  head  was 
buried  in  the  imperial  tomb  at  Nik-ko.  The  shrine,  which 
is  a  replica  of  the  one  at  Nik-ko,  though  less  elaborate,  is 
undergoing  repairs  at  present.  The  summit  of  the  hill 
is  reached  after  ascending  1,036  steps  cut  in  the  rock  of 
the  hillside.  The  temple  site  was  originally  occupied  by 
a  castle  belonging  to  a  celebrated  warrior  named  Takeda 
Shingen,  who  lived  during  the  sixteenth  century,  preceding 
the  Tokugawa  dynasty.  As  a  precaution  during  siege  the 
old  daimio  caused  a  well  108  feet  deep  to  be  dug,  from 
which  a  water  supply  is  still  obtained.     The  compound 

[296] 


YOKOHAMA  TO  KIOTO 

contains  the  usual  temple  buildings,  besides  a  handsome 
five-story  pagoda. 

Returning  from  Kunozan,  the  traveller  is  usually  con- 
veyed to  Shizuoka,  the  capital  of  the  prefecture  of  the 
same  name,  which  is  ten  miles  distant  from  Okitsu  by  rail. 
It  was  at  Shizuoka  that  Ieyasu  decided  to  spend  the  re- 
mainder of  his  life  after  abdicating  in  favor  of  his  son 
Hidetada.  At  the  time  this  city  was  noted  as  a  place  of 
learning  as  well  as  a  publishing  centre.  For  the  first  time 
in  history  many  of  the  treasures  of  Japanese  literature 
were  printed  from  the  original  manuscripts  and  given 
general  circulation.  Shizuoka  is  also  noted  for  being  the 
home  of  Keiki,  the  last  of  the  Tokugawa  shoguns,  who 
lived  here  in  seclusion  after  abdicating  in  1868.  From 
this  point  to  Nagoya,  a  distance  of  115  miles,  the  railroad 
passes  through  a  rather  uninteresting  country  and  a  num- 
ber of  small  towns  of  no  particular  importance.  A  few 
miles  before  reaching  Nagoya  the  road  passes  through 
Atsuta,  which  is  really  one  of  its  most  important  suburbs 
and  contains  a  number  of  Shinto  temples,  in  one  of  which 
reposes  the  Sacred  Sword,  transferred  from  the  Celestial 
Plains  above  by  Ninigi,  the  son  of  Amaterasu,  when  he 
descended  to  earth. 

Nagoya,  the  capital  of  the  province  of  Owari,  is  one  of 
the  most  important  commercial  cities  of  the  empire  and  for 
many  years  was  the  seat  of  the  Daimio  of  Owari.  The 
House  of  Owari,  the  founder  of  which  was  a  son  of  Ieyasu, 
ranked  as  one  of  the  "Three  August  Families,"  which 
were  considered  eligible  for  furnishing  candidates  for  the 
shogunate.  The  income  allowed  the  Daimio  of  Owari  by 
the  government  amounted  to  550,000  koku  of  rice,  which 
was  equivalent  to  $3,000,000  per  annum,  quite  a  lordly 
income  for  those  benighted  days. 

The  city  of  Nagoya  is  built  upon  a  fertile  plain  and 
possesses  many  points  of  interest  to  the  tourist.  It  is  one 
of  the  chief  centres  in  Japan  for  the  production  of  the 
world-renowned  cloisonne.     It  is  also  noted  for  the  manu- 

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ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

facture  of  clocks,  cotton  and  silk  fabrics,  fans,  lanterns, 
embroidery,  lacquer,  and  the  celebrated  Seto  porcelain 
wares.  The  most  important  buildings  and  temples  which 
should  be  visited  by  every  tourist  who  is  able  to  remain 
several  days  in  the  city,  are  the  castle  and  grounds,  the 
temple  of  the  five  hundred  disciples  of  Buddha  many  of 
the  statues  of  which  were  carved  centuries  ago,  the  Higashi 
Hongwanji  Temple,  the  temples  of  Atsuta,  and  the  Nagoya 
museum. 

The  Castle  of  Nagoya  is  one  of  the  most  remarkable  ever 
built  in  Japan  and  is  in  an  excellent  state  of  preservation ; 
it  was  built  in  1610  by  twenty  of  the  great  feudal  lords 
as  a  residence  for  Yoshinobu,  the  second  son  of  Ieyasu. 
The  principal  donjon  is  a  massive  wooden  building  five 
stories  high  and  resting  on  solid  stone  walls  eighteen  feet 
thick.  Two  golden  dolphins  ornament  the  summit  of  the 
donjon  and  were  presented  by  the  celebrated  General  Kato 
Kiyomasa  at  a  cost  of  $180,000.  The  scales  of  the  dolphin 
are  made  of  pure  gold  and  can  be  seen  for  miles  around 
glittering  in  the  sun.  One  of  the  dolphins  was  sent  to  the 
Vienna  Exposition  in  1873  and  on  its  return  home  was 
submerged  in  the  sea  in  the  wreck  of  the  steamer  Nile, 
belonging  to  the  Messageries  Maritime  Line,  but  was 
finally  rescued  and  returned  to  its  position  on  the  roof. 

The  grounds  contain  the  old  palace  and  a  number  of 
barracks  for  housing  the  imperial  troops.  Although  van- 
dals, during  the  Revolution  in  1868,  destroyed  many  of 
the  works  of  art  which  the  palace  contained,  a  number 
of  excellent  paintings  by  the  Kano  school  still  exist,  among 
which  are  some  remarkable  paintings  of  tigers,  lions,  musk- 
cats,  peach  blossoms,  bamboo,  and  games  of  tug-of-war  and 
lacrosse.  From  the  top  of  the  donjon  a  magnificent  view 
of  the  city  can  be  obtained  as  well  as  the  plains  of  Owari 
and  even  the  distant  hills  among  which  rests  the  sacred 
Temple  of  Ise. 

Several  very  interesting  excursions  may  be  made  from 
Nagoya,  among  which  are  the  potteries  of  Seto,  to  visit 

[298] 


YOKOHAMA  TO  KIOTO 

which  it  is  necessary  to  go  by  train  to  Kozoji  fifteen  miles 
distant,  then  by  ricksha  to  the  potteries,  which  are  located 
in  four  hamlets,  the  best  belonging  to  Kato  Gosuke  whose 
wares  are  noted  for  their  transparency  and  whiteness. 
The  Provinces  of  Owari  and  Mino  for  centuries  have  been 
celebrated  for  their  porcelain  industry,  the  first  pottery 
having  been  established  in  1230  by  Kato  Shirozaemon,  who 
had  learned  the  art  in  China.  For  centuries  the  Seto  pot- 
teries furnished  those  exquisite  bottles,  jars,  ewers,  and 
other  articles  which  were  employed  in  the  Cha-no-yu  or 
tea  ceremony,  so  popular  from  the  fifteenth  to  the  seven- 
teenth centuries  in  court  circles  and  polite  society. 

Before  leaving  Nagoya  it  is  due  that  we  should  mention 
the  principal  hostelry  of  the  city,  the  Nagoya,  which  was 
exceedingly  comfortable  and  homelike.  The  host  and  en- 
tire company  of  assistants  met  us  on  the  threshold  and 
bade  us  enter  with  the  warmest  salutations  and  greetings. 
The  rooms  were  good  and  well  furnished  and  the  food 
quite  satisfactory  indeed.  Mine  host  employed  Japanese 
maidens  as  waiters  and  attendants  throughout  the  hotel, 
thus  insuring  the  guests  excellent  service,  in  fact  as  good 
as,  if  not  better  than  that  received  from  the  importations 
used  in  America  from  the  other  side  of  the  Atlantic.  The 
Japanese  women  are  gentle  and  affable  and  move  around 
as  noiselessly  as  little  pussy  cats.  Besides,  they  are  pleas- 
ant on  all  occasions,  polite  and  smiling  when  rendering 
a  service,  and  grateful  in  the  extreme  for  a  moderate  tip 
which  always  comes  as  an  agreeable  surprise.  At  seven 
o  'clock  in  the  morning  a  gentle  tap  at  the  door,  and  Violet 
or  Fuchia,  as  the  case  may  be,  smilingly  enters  with 
lacquered  tray  upon  which  rests  a  dainty  tea-service  with 
buttered  toast,  the  tea-pot  filled  with  English  breakfast 
tea,  out  of  deference  to  our  English  cousins  who  have 
established  this  special  brand  of  the  fragrant  herb  through- 
out the  entire  Orient.  A  half-hour  later  another  tap  and 
the  bath  is  announced,  hot  and  steaming,  for  no  one  who 
visits  Japan  is  considered  sane  who  bathes  otherwise,  even 

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ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

the  Britisher  who  breaks  the  ice  in  other  parts  of  the  world 
at  five  in  the  morning,  in  order  to  indulge  in  a  cold  plunge. 
The  little  Japanese  women  understand  the  art  of  making  a 
man  happy,  and  I  wonder  not  at  Sir  Edwin  Arnold's 
ecstasy  over  them  and  his  final  marriage. 

From  Nagoya  the  railroad  leaves  the  old  Tokaido  High- 
way and  follows  on  to  Gifu  over  the  famous  Nakasendo. 
Gifu  is  the  capital  of  the  two  provinces  of  Mino  and  Hida 
and  the  former  home  of  the  great  warrior  Oda  Nobunaga, 
whose  castle  was  located  on  a  conical  hill  north  of  the 
town  named  Kinkwa-zan.  Raw  silk  and  the  silk  of  the 
wild  silkworm  are  produced  largely  in  the  surrounding 
district  and  the  product  woven,  into  crepe.  The  glittering 
threads  of  the  wild  silk,  which  do  not  take  the  dye  as  well 
as  the  cultivated,  are  introduced  into  the  fabric  to  form 
the  pattern. 

The  tourist  who  has  time  to  see  Old  Japan  leisurely 
should  stop  over  a  day  or  two  to  observe  the  curious  method 
of  catching  fish  on  the  Nagara  River  by  means  of  cor- 
morants. These  birds  are  trained  while  very  young  for 
the  fishing  industry,  which  is  carried  on  at  night.  They 
are  provided  with  a  ring  around  the  neck  which  prevents 
the  birds  from  swallowing  the  large  and  valuable  fish,  and 
a  cord  around  the  body  by  which  they  are  controlled  on 
the  water.  After  reaching  the  grounds  the  fisherman  em- 
barks in  a  small  boat  lighted  at  one  end,  and  begins  to 
shout  and  make  other  noises  in  order  to  attract  the  fish. 
The  birds  which  have  been  placed  on  the  water  in  groups 
begin  to  dive  with  wonderful  celerity,  and  in  a  few  mo- 
ments rise  to  the  surface  with  necks  swollen  and  heads  on 
the  side,  which  indicates  that  they  are  gorged  with  a  large 
fish.  They  are  now  drawn  to  the  boat  by  means  of  the 
cord  and  after  the  fish  is  removed,  returned  to  the  water 
for  further  operations.  This  strange  method  of  fishing 
is  mentioned  in  the  Kojiki,  or  "Records  of  Ancient  Mat- 
ters," which  was  compiled  in  Japan  in  712  a.d.,  and  is  still 
employed  in  many  districts  of  the  country. 

[300] 


YOKOHAMA  TO  KIOTO 

Twenty  miles  beyond  Gifu  the  village  of  Seki-ga-hara  is 
reached,  where  the  decisive  battle  in  1600  was  fought  be- 
tween Ieyasu  and  the  allies  of  Hideyori,  the  infant  son 
of  the  great  Tycoon,  Hideyoshi.  The  carnage  was  dread- 
ful and  it  is  reported  that  the  confederated  armies  lost 
over  40,000  men.  In  accordance  with  the  custom  of  war 
at  the  time,  the  dead  of  the  enemy  were  decapitated  and 
the  ghastly  mounds,  called  Kubizuka,  in  which  the  heads 
were  buried  are  still  shown  to  visitors.  After  leaving 
Seki-ga-hara  the  road  enters  the  mountain  region  and  soon 
emerges  along  the  shore  of  the  Lake  of  Omi,  or  Biwa,  as 
it  is  properly  called,  on  account  of  its  resemblance  to  the 
native  guitar.  The  scenery  along  the  shores  of  the  lake  is 
extremely  beautiful  and  greatly  varied  by  wooded  hills, 
inlets,  bights,  and  winding  sheets  of  water.  On  reaching 
Kusatsu  the  most  striking  portion  of  the  old  Tokaido 
Highway  passes  in  review  and  we  cross  the  Setagawa  where 
the  lake  opens  out  and  the  celebrated  Long  Bridge  is  seen. 
After  passing  Baba  or  Otsu  the  train  passes  through  a 
tunnel  under  the  Osakayama,  enters  a  narrow  valley  which 
is  covered  with  a  thick  growth  of  pine,  and  reaches  Kioto, 
until  1870  and  for  over  a  thousand  years  before  the  sacred 
capital  of  the  Mikado. 


[301] 


CHAPTER  XXX 

KIOTO,  THE  HEART  OF  OLD  JAPAN 

Arrival  in  Kioto  —  Hotels  for  Tourists  —  The  Old 
Palace  —  The  Nijo  Castle  —  The  Nishi  and  Higashi 
Hongwan ji  Temples  —  The  Silver  and  Gold  Pavilions 

—  The  Katsura  Summer  Palace  —  The  Shimo  Gamo 
Temple  —  Tai-kyoku-den  Palace  —  The  Monastery 
op  Chion-in  —  The  Famous  Dai-butsu  —  The  1000 
Image  Temple  op  Kwannon  —  Shooting  the  Hodzu 
Rapids  —  Lake  BrwA  and  the  Eight  Classic  Beauties 

—  The  Geisha  Dance. 

IT  was  the  peaceful  hour  of  twilight  when  our  train 
reached  Kioto,  a  most  appropriate  time  of  the  day  to 
enter  the  Sacred  Capital  of  the  Mikado,  the  Canterbury  of 
Old  Japan. 

"Although  I  have  visited  Kioto  at  least  a  dozen  times," 
said  the  Major,  "I  never  fail  to  experience  a  thrill  of 
quiet  joy  in  approaching  this  wonderful  city  of  palaces 
and  temples  whose  history  reaches  back  to  the  dawn  of  the 
Japanese  Empire.  Yes,  there  is  a  fascination  about  this 
ancient  capital  which  induces  a  kind  of  hypnotism  akin  to 
the  languor  of  the  lotus  eater,  and  beguiles  one  into  spend- 
ing weeks,  instead  of  days." 

"I  have  been  informed,"  replied  the  Judge,  "that  no 
city  in  the  empire  can  compare  to  Kioto  in  the  number 
or  grandeur  of  its  temples. ' ' 

"Yes,"  said  the  Major,  "Kioto  was  for  more  than  a 
thousand  years  the  imperial  residence  of  the  Mikados  and 
the  home  of  the  aristocracy,  which  for  centuries  past  has 

[302] 


KIOTO,  HEART  OF  OLD  JAPAN 

furnished  the  emperors,  and  many  of  the  shoguns,  prince- 
abbots,  generals,  and  leaders  of  the  clans.  From  time  im- 
memorial the  Mikado  has  been  the  invisible  but  sacred  head 
of  Shintoism  and  Buddhism,  and  his  capital,  naturally,  the 
cathedral  city  of  the  empire.  It  was  for  this  reason  that 
thousands  of  priests,  monks,  and  nuns  of  every  sect  of  these 
two  national  religions,  flocked  to  Kioto  and  founded  their 
temples.  It  was  in  the  year  784  a.d.  that  the  reigning 
sovereign  Kwammu  moved  the  capital  from  Nara  to 
Nagoya,  and  nine  years  later  to  Miyako  or  Kioto,  where  it 
remained,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  years,  until  the 
restoration  of  the  Mikado  to  the  temporal  power,  in  1868, 
when  it  was  transferred  to  Tokio.  Kioto  is  now  known  as 
the  Western  capital." 

As  the  Major  concluded  his  remarks  the  train  drew  up 
at  the  central  station,  where  we  were  promptly  met  by  a 
representative  of  the  Miyako  hotel,  to  which  a  despatch 
had  been  sent  before  leaving  Tokio.  Kioto  is  provided 
with  three  excellent  hotels,  all  of  which  are  managed  by 
native  companies  and  run  on  the  American  plan.  The 
Kioto  is  pleasantly  located  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Kamo- 
gawa  River  in  the  centre  of  the  city,  not  more  than  ten 
minutes  from  the  central  railroad  station,  and  is  well 
patronized  by  foreign  tourists. 

The  Miyako  stands  on  a  picturesque  hillside  some  dis- 
tance east  of  the  river,  on  the  Sanjo,  one  of  the  principal 
thoroughfares  of  the  city.  The  hotel  consists  of  a  series  of 
separate  one-  and  two-story  buildings,  placed  one  above 
the  other  on  the  hillside,  connected  by  corridors  and  sur- 
rounded by  an  attractive  park  which  formerly  belonged 
to  the  Atwata  Palace. 

The  Yaami,  the  remaining  hotel  which  caters  to  foreign 
patronage  is  also  pleasantly  situated  on  a  sloping  hill  in 
the  Maruyama  district,  a  suburb  almost  exclusively  occu- 
pied by  tea-houses,  the  resort  of  holiday-makers  bent  on 
dancing  and  pleasure. 

Kioto  has  not  changed  front  like  so  many  of  the  large 
[303] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

cities  of  the  empire,  but  remains  to-day  characteristic  of 
Old  Japan  and  is  still  given  over  to  a  pleasure-loving 
and  refined  class  of  people  who  have  not  become  wedded 
to  the  one  idea  of  money  getting,  which  has  in  a  certain 
measure  destroyed  the  interest  and  pleasure  of  Old  Japan. 
The  Kiotans  are  not  willing  that  factories  shall  sully  the 
sparkling  waters  of  the  Kamogawa,  or  that  forests  of  tall 
and  dingy  smokestacks  shall  pollute  the  clearness  of  the 
ambient  ether  which  surrounds  their  sacred  hills  and  tem- 
ples. They  would  rather  suffer  the  decadence  of  town  and 
population  than  lose  the  classic  beauty  of  their  city.  The 
capital  lies  in  an  immense  valley,  on  either  side  of  the 
Kamogawa,  a  clear  mountain  stream  which  ripples  over  a 
shallow  pebbly  bed.  To  the  north,  east,  and  west  rise  high 
and  picturesque  hills  clothed  with  dense  forests,  and  con- 
cealing within  their  sinuous  folds  and  wooded  glens 
numerous  ancient  temples  rich  in  treasures  of  early 
native  and  Chinese  art.  Along  the  mountain-sides  and 
within  the  exquisite  gardens  which  surround  the  palaces 
and  temples,  grow  in  luxuriance  the  plum  and  cherry  trees 
whose  blossoms  are  the  first  harbingers  of  spring  and 
arouse  the  never-dying  interest  and  admiration  of  a  united 
populace. 

Before  the  snow  has  melted  away  from  the  eastern 
slopes  of  the  hillsides  the  plum  blossom,  in  all  its  beauty 
and  transparency  of  snowy  whiteness,  gladdens  the  heart 
of  both  young  and  old,  while  a  few  weeks  later,  the  cherry 
tree  bursts  forth  into  delicate  clouds  of  pink  and  white 
and  calls  forth  the  adoration  of  the  entire  nation.  As  the 
rose  is  the  queen  of  flowers  to  the  Western  world,  so  is 
the  cherry  blossom  the  pride  of  Japan,  and  to  see  it  in  all 
its  glory  and  beauty  go  to  Yoshino,  among  the  mountains 
of  Yamato,  or  Arashi-yama  near  Kioto. 

And  here  among  the  hills  and  dales  around  the  Sacred 
Capital  of  the  West,  during  the  month  of  April,  gathers 
the  native  world  from  far  and  wide  to  assist  in  the  Festival 

[304] 


KIOTO,  HEART  OF  OLD  JAPAN 

of  the  Cherry  Blossom,  and  again,  when  hill  and  glen 
and  dale  and  temple  grounds  are  covered  with  the  scarlet 
and  yellow  leaves  of  the  maples  in  the  reddening  days  of 
autumn. 

It  is  with  pleasure  that  I  recall  those  delightful  days  in 
Kioto,  and  the  rapid  transit  in  jinricksha  from  the  busy 
marts  of  the  city  to  some  secluded  spot  in  a  quiet  dale 
far  out  among  the  mountains,  where  we  found  an  ancient 
temple  presided  over  by  a  venerable  abbot  in  a  pale  yellow 
robe.  Nor  can  I  ever  forget  the  artistic  treasures  he  dis- 
closed on  panel  and  fusama,  painted  centuries  ago  by  some 
master  hand,  perhaps  "a  youth  to  fortune  and  to  fame 
unknown. ' ' 

"It  is  impossible,"  said  the  Major,  after  we  had  com- 
fortably seated  ourselves  in  the  jinrickshas  provided  by  our 
host,  "to  visit  all  of  the  points  of  interest  of  the  city  dur- 
ing our  brief  stay,  so  we  will  have  to  content  ourselves 
with  the  most  important.  It  is  now  nine-thirty,  and  if  we 
are  diligent  we  may  be  able  to  inspect  the  Imperial  Palace 
and  the  old  Nijo  Castle  before  lunch. ' ' 

"When  Kioto  was  laid  out  the  site  measured  three  miles 
and  a  half  from  north  to  south  and  three  miles  from  east 
to  west.  The  palace  grounds  occupied  one-fifteenth  of  the 
entire  area  and  were  surrounded  by  a  wall.  Since  then 
the  grounds  have  been  greatly  reduced,  but  the  mass  of 
buildings  which  comprise  the  palace  is  as  great  as  ever 
and  covers  an  area  of  nearly  twenty-six  acres.  To  visit 
the  palace  and  castle  authority  has  to  be  obtained  from 
the  embassy  in  Tokio,  but  this  can  be  secured  by  tele- 
graph if  the  tourist  be  cramped  for  time.  Before  attempt- 
ing a  description  of  the  temples  and  palaces  of  Kioto,  it 
is  best  to  remove  the  idea,  should  such  exist,  of  a  resem- 
blance between  Oriental  and  Occidental  architecture.  I 
feel  that  I  can  safely  say  there  is  not  the  slightest  simi- 
larity whatever  in  material  or  construction  between  the 
palaces  and  cathedrals  of  continental  Europe  and  those 
20  [  305  J 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

of  Japan,  Korea,  Manchuria,  or  China,  and  when  I  speak 
of  temples  in  the  Orient,  I  compare  them  with  religious 
buildings  of  the  West. 

The  castles  of  Japan,  which  were  very  numerous  before 
the  Revolution  of  1868,  also  differ  greatly  from  those  mas- 
sive fortresses  of  stone  with  frowning  battlements  and 
circular  towers  which  are  still  to  be  seen  in  "Merrie  Eng- 
land ' '  and  along  the  ' '  classic  Rhine. ' '  It  is  well  also  to  un- 
derstand that  the  temples  of  Japan  and  China  were  not 
altogether  built  for  religious  purposes,  for  they  served  not 
only  as  places  of  prayer  and  worship  for  the  people  but 
as  monasteries  for  abbot  and  priest,  palaces  for  the  Mikados, 
shoguns,  and  great  military  leaders,  and  residences  for  the 
princes  and  noble  families. 

Without  a  knowledge  of  these  facts  I  would  have  been 
disappointed,  after  entering  the  walls  of  the  palace  grounds 
and  traversing  hundreds  of  yards  of  galleries  and  vast 
halls,  waiting  and  reception  rooms,  throne-room  and  apart- 
ments which  were  in  suites  and  usually  separated  by  slid- 
ing panels.  The  buildings  are  all  one  story  high  and 
constructed  of  inflammable  material,  and  so  was  every  city 
and  town  of  Old  Japan.  There  is  no  wonder  then  that 
many  of  the  most  noted  palaces  and  temples  of  the  empire 
have  been  destroyed  and  rebuilt  many  times  since  their 
first  inception.  So  common  have  fires  been  in  Tokio,  that 
when  the  lurid  lustre  of  an  almost  nightly  conflagration 
is  seen,  it  is  called  a  '  •  Yedo  Blossom. ' '  Unfortunately  for 
this  reason  some  of  the  rarest  and  most  valuable  paintings 
and  other  ancient  works  of  art  have  disappeared  from  the 
world  forever. 

The  original  palace  at  Kioto  was  destroyed  by  fire  in 
1177  and  has  repeatedly  fallen  a  prey  to  the  flames  since 
that  time.  The  last  time  it  was  rebuilt  in  1854  it  was  in 
the  original  style  as  far  as  possible.  The  beauty  of  this 
enormous  pile  consists  of  the  immense  rooms  and  superb 
decorations  in  painting  and  lacquer.  The  original  panels 
and  frescoes  are  gone,  but  copies  of  copies  of  the  handi- 

[306] 


KIOTO,  HEART  OF  OLD  JAPAN 

work  of  the  great  masters  who  lived  during  the  golden  age 
of  art  still  ornament  the  sides  and  walls  of  the  palace. 
The  throne-room  and  divan,  upon  which  the  Mikado  used 
to  sit,  protected  from  human  gaze  behind  delicate  silk  - 
curtains  of  red,  white,  and  black,  remain  in  situ  for  the 
inspection  of  the  curious  visitor.  To  his  entourage,  to 
the  royal  embassies  from  foreign  lands,  to  the  daimios 
from  the  provinces  and  the  shogun,  who  was  the  real 
power,  the  Mikado  was  a  shadow,  a  voice  behind  the  throne ; 
to  the  commonalty,  a  god. 

The  old  school  of  painting  ran  to  Nature  subjects  and 
hence  one  finds  on  walls,  panels,  and  sliding  doors,  lions, 
tigers,  musk-cats,  eagles,  herons,  sparrows,  besides  trees, 
shrubs,  and  flowers.  Little  furniture  was  seen  in  any  of 
the  apartments  and  the  floors  were  bare  and  polished  or 
covered  with  native  woven  mat.  European  furniture  was 
practically  unknown  in  Japan  before  the  arrival  of  Com- 
modore Perry  in  1853,  and  is  only  used  now  in  a  few  rooms 
of  the  wealthy  natives  in  official  or  diplomatic  service  out 
of  deference  to  the  foreigner.  From  the  highest  nobleman 
to  the  lowest  peasant,  they  sit  tailor-fashion  on  the  floor, 
eat  from  a  table  but  six  inches  high,  and  sleep  on  thick 
grass  mats. 

On  passing  through  the  throne-room  we  reached  a  flight 
of  fifteen  steps  leading  down  into  the  court-yard  below, 
each  step  corresponding  to  a  special  rank  or  grade  into 
which  the  officers  of  the  government  were  divided. 

"We  have  again  reached  the  open,"  said  the  Major,  on 
arriving  at  this  point,  "and  as  it  is  getting  late,  I  propose 
that  we  proceed  to  the  Old  Castle,  which  we  can  thoroughly 
see  before  lunch,  if  we  go  at  once. ' ' 

The  Old  Castle  of  Nijo,  which  is  located  a  mile  south 
and  east  of  the  palace,  was  built  in  1569  by  Oda  Nobunaga 
as  a  residence  for  the  shogun  or  controlling  authority,  but 
was  destroyed  five  years  later  during  a  rebellion  which  was 
instigated  by  Akeche,  one  of  his  generals.  In  1883  it 
was  declared  a  residence  for  the  Mikado,  although  the 

[307] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

grounds  are  used  for  barracks  and  a  division  of  troops. 
The  massive  walls' and  the  moat,  surrounded  by  donjons, 
and  pavilions  with  curving  roofs  located  along  the  walls, 
give  the  entire  enclosure  the  appearance  of  mediaeval  days, 
when  with  spear  and  sword  and  banners  floating  in  the 
air,  the  armored  daimio,  with  trained  samurai,  would  sally 
forth  to  punish  some  refractory  feudal  lord  in  a  neighbor- 
ing province,  or  to  fight  the  hated  barbarian  of  the  North. 
The  principal  donjon  or  keep  was  destroyed  by  fire  over 
a  century  ago  and  has  never  been  rebuilt,  though  the 
second  donjon  is  in  an  excellent  state  of  preservation. 

The  visitor  is  admitted  into  a  side  door  and  conducted 
through  the  kara-mon,  which  is  exquisitely  decorated  in 
metal  work  and  painted  carvings.  Opposite  this  stands 
a  second  gate,  through  which  the  visitor  passes  and  is  then 
admitted  into  the  palace  proper,  which  is  a  "dream  of 
golden  beauty. ' '  The  interior  of  the  palace  is  divided  into 
numerous  suites  of  apartments  intended  for  waiting-rooms 
for  the  samurai  and  daimios  and  members  of  the  council 
of  state,  a  hall  of  audience  and  suites  of  living  apart- 
ments. The  decorations  in  gold  and  lacquer  are  rarely 
equalled  in  the  empire,  while  the  panel  and  mural  decora- 
tions were  done  by  the  most  celebrated  artists  of  the  day. 
The  third  apartment,  the  most  gorgeous  of  all,  was  the 
room  in  which  the  shoguns  received  the  daimios,  and  con- 
tains a  magnificent  carving  of  a  life-sized  eagle.  The 
fourth  apartment  contains  the  famous  heron,  and  the  fifth, 
the  wet  heron  and  sleeping  sparrows  on  a  snow-laden 
bough. 

Hidari  Jingoro,  the  author  of  the  "Monkeys  of  Nik-ko," 
and  his  pupils,  have  left  many  specimens  of  exquisite  carv- 
ing in  the  ramma,  or  ventilating  panels  of  the  palace, 
among  which  should  be  mentioned  the  Peacocks  in  the 
Obiro-ma  suite,  which  were  brought  from  Hideyoshi's 
famous  palace  at  Fushimi.  A  peculiarity  of  these  carv- 
ings is  that,  though  open  work,  the  two  sides  differ  in 
subjects;  for  instance,  the  obverse  sides  of  the  peacocks 

[308] 


KIOTO,  HEART  OF  OLD  JAPAN 

represent  peonies.  Among  the  celebrated  artists,  whose 
names  are  linked  with  the  paintings  of  the  castle,  are 
Kano  Naonobu,  Kano  Koi,  and  Kano  Tanyu.  It  was  Kano 
Tanyu  who  painted  the  maples  and  pine  trees  so  true  to 
Nature,  that  birds  which  accidentally  had  flown  into  the 
room  through  open  windows,  tried  to  perch  upon  their 
boughs. 

"There  are  two  classes  of  travellers  who  go  abroad," 
said  the  Major,  after  we  had  finished  our  lunch,  "those 
who  travel  to  see,  and  those  who  travel  to  be  seen,  and  as 
we  belong  to  the  first  class,  I  would  call  attention  to  the 
flight  of  time  and  the  two  temples  which  await  our  inspec- 
tion this  afternoon,  the  Nishi-Hongwanji  and  the  Higashi- 
Hongwan  ji. ' ' 

These  two  temples  are  located  in  the  southwestern  por- 
tion of  the  city,  not  far  from  the  principal  railroad  station, 
and  are  regarded  as  the  largest  and  handsomest  in  the 
empire.  The  Nishi,  or  the  Western  branch  of  the  sect, 
was  transferred  to  Kioto  in  1591  by  the  order  of  Hide- 
yoshi.  The  apartments  of  the  Prince-abbot  who  lives  here 
are  especially  magnificent  and  nowhere  in  Japan  can  the 
decorative  genius  of  the  Kano  school  be  seen  to  such 
advantage.  There  are  many  superb  rooms  and  apartments 
in  the  temple,  which  are  named  after  the  decorations, 
among  which  may  be  mentioned  the  bamboo  and  sparrow 
room,  the  eagle,  oak,  and  cascade  room,  the  chamber  of 
wild  geese,  the  chrysanthemum  room,  the  cedar  door  with 
sleeping  cat,  the  dressing  room  with  hunting  scenes,  the 
stork  chamber  and  many  other  excellent  paintings  by 
Ryokei,  Yusetsu,  Hidenobu,  Ryotaku,  and  other  celebrated 
artists.  The  main  temple  or  the  Hondo  is  138  feet  in 
length  and  ninety-three  feet  wide,  and  requires  477  mats 
to  cover  the  floor. 

The  Higashi,  which  is  an  off-shoot  from  the  Nishi- 
Hongwanji  sect,  was  established  in  Kioto  in  1692  but  the 
present  buildings  only  date  from  1895.  This  temple  is 
larger  than  the  Nishi  and  fairly  dazzles  the  eye  with  its 

[309] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

brilliancy  of  coloring  and  splendor,  and  gives  the  visitor 
an  idea  of  the  magnificence  of  coloring  which  the  temples 
of  Shiba  Park,  Tokio,  and  Nik-ko  had  when  just  finished. 
Although  much  has  been  said  of  the  decay  of  Buddhism  in 
Japan  this  temple  was  rebuilt  by  popular  subscription, 
over  a  million  yen  having  been  contributed  for  the  pur- 
pose, besides  an  equal  amount  in  value  of  building  ma- 
terial. So  much  enthusiasm  was  elicited  at  the  time  that 
thousands  of  Japanese  women  sacrificed  their  hair  to  be 
braided  into  hawsers  for  lifting  the  timbers  into  place. 
Twenty-nine  gigantic  hawsers  were  made  of  hair  for  this 
purpose,  which  are  still  preserved  in  a  go-down  near  by. 

As  I  have  stated  before  it  would  be  impossible  to  visit 
all  of  the  temples  within  the  city  and  its  environment 
without  remaining  months  and  then  the  task  would  become 
monotonous  in  the  extreme.  Along  the  hillsides  and 
among  the  groves  in  the  suburbs,  temples,  temple  gardens, 
and  cemeteries  are  encountered  without  end.  Tier  above 
tier,  the  headstones  of  the  departed  dead  come  into  view 
as  one  ascends  the  hills  under  whose  granite  blocks  repose 
all  that  is  mortal  of  the  merchant  and  working  classes  of 
the  past,  whose  heart  throbs  have  reechoed  again  and 
again  in  the  breasts  of  the  succeeding  generations  which 
followed  in  their  tracks. 

Off  to  the  northeast  of  the  city  stands  a  temple,  the 
Ginkaku-ji,  which  has  been  noted  since  the  days  of 
Ashikaga  Yoshimasa  who  abdicated  as  shogun  in  1479  and 
passed  the  remainder  of  his  life  there  in  company  with 
his  favorites,  So-ami  and  Shuko,  with  whom  he  practised 
the  tea  ceremonies  which  their  patronage  elevated  almost 
to  the  rank  of  a  fine  art.  This  little  temple,  known  as 
the  "Silver  Pavilion,"  was  built  in  imitation  of  the 
Kinkaku-ji,  erected  by  one  of  his  predecessors,  Ashikaga 
Yoshimitsu,  who  abdicated  as  shogun  a  century  earlier  and 
called  his  retreat  the  "Golden  Pavilion."  Yoshimitsu  be- 
came tired  of  the  world  and  the  cares  of  government  at  an 
early  age  and  abdicated  in  favor  of  his  youthful  son  Yoshi- 

[310] 


KIOTO,  HEART  OF  OLD  JAPAN 

mochi.  Believed  of  the  cares  of  official  life,  he  shaved 
his  head  and  assumed  the  garb  of  a  Buddhist  monk, 
though  still  in  reality  continuing  to  direct  the  affairs  of 
state.  The  Golden  Pavilion,  which  is  located  to  the  north- 
west of  the  city,  stands  on  the  edge  of  an  attractive  lake 
and  is  three  stories  high.  The  well  known  "Junk"  tree, 
a  pine,  which  has  been  made  to  grow  like  a  Chinese  junk, 
stands  in  the  garden  of  the  Pavilion,  and  illustrates  an  art 
in  which  the  Japanese  excel. 

The  Katsura  Summer  Palace,  built  by  the  great  Hide- 
yoshi  and  presented  to  one  of  the  royal  princes,  is  located 
six  miles  southwest  of  the  city.  The  grounds  are  espe- 
cially worthy  of  a  visit,  for  they  were  laid  out  by  the 
celebrated  landscape  gardener,  Kobori  Enshu,  the  most 
artistic  creator  of  landscape  effects  of  Japan.  With  cun- 
ning skill  he  constructed  mountains,  valleys,  streams,  and 
lakes,  moss-covered  rocks  and  stone  lanterns,  and  set  out 
trees,  shrubs,  and  plants  with  the  most  minute  detail  and 
natural  effect. 

The  Shimo  Gamo  Temple  which  was  built  in  677  a.d. 
and  located  at  the  junction  of  the  Kamo  and  Takano 
Rivers,  north  of  the  city,  is  really  said  to  antedate  the 
Christian  era.  According  to  an  old  legend  a  daughter  of 
one  of  the  gods  was  working  beside  the  river  when  a  red 
arrow  winged  with  a  duck's  feather  floated  towards  her, 
which  she  picked  up  and  carried  home.  Shortly  after- 
wards she  became  pregnant  and  gave  birth  to  a  son.  The 
father  was  unknown,  and  as  her  parents  disbelieved  her 
statement  that  she  had  never  known  a  man,  they  gave  a 
feast  as  soon  as  the  child  was  old  enough  to  walk.  The 
child  was  given  a  wine  cup  and  told  to  present  it  to  his 
father,  but  instead  of  taking  it  to  any  one  of  the  company, 
he  ran  out  of  the  house  and  placed  it  in  front  of  an  arrow 
which  his  grandfather  had  driven  in  the  roof.  Then  trans- 
forming himself  into  a  thunderbolt  he  ascended  to  heaven, 
accompanied  by  his  mother.  By  a  curious  freak  of  Nature 
two  trees  outside  the  gate  of  the  temple  have  grown  into 

[311] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

one.  Women  fearful  of  losing  the  affection  of  their  hus- 
bands repair  there  in  large  numbers  to  worship.  The 
dancing  and  theatrical  stages  attached  to  this  old  temple 
show  the  close  relation  which  has  always  existed  between 
religion  and  the  drama.  The  priests  in  "ye  olden  times" 
understood  quite  well  the  art  of  attracting  large  congrega- 
tions to  their  churches. 

On  the  hillside  to  the  north  and  east,  rises  the  Tai-kyoku- 
den  Palace,  which  was  erected  in  1895,  the  eleventh  cen- 
tenary of  the  founding  of  Kioto  by  the  Emperor 
Kwammu,  in  whose  honor  it  was  built.  While  the  build- 
ings are  not  more  than  half  the  size  of  the  original  palace 
it  is  said  to  be  an  exact  replica.  Behind  the  palace  is  a 
Shinto  temple  where  Kwammu  is  worshipped. 

Not  far  away  from  the  Tai-kyoku-den  Palace  stands  the 
celebrated  monastery  of  the  Jodo  sect,  the  Chion-in,  which 
is  only  second  in  grandeur  and  size  to  the  Hongwanji. 
The  interior  of  the  temple  is  elaborately  ornamented  with 
carvings,  lacquer,  and  paintings  of  great  merit.  A  superb 
view  of  the  city  can  be  secured  from  the  outside  gallery, 
as  well  as  of  the  pine-covered  mountains  of  Hiei-zan. 
Farther  up  the  hill  is  the  tomb  of  Enko  Daishi,  the 
founder  of  the  temple.  His  festival  is  celebrated  from  the 
nineteenth  to  twenty-fourth  of  April,  and  also  on  the 
twenty-fourth  of  every  month,  on  which  occasion  the  great 
bell  is  rung. 

Within  the  grounds  of  the  Hoko-ji,  where  in  former  days 
an  immense  temple  used  to  stand,  one  sees  the  home  of  the 
Dai-butsu.  No  one,  however,  who  has  had  the  pleasure  of 
gazing  upon  the  placid  countenance  of  the  great  Dai-butsu 
of  Kamakura,  will  take  the  slightest  interest  in  the  image 
at  Kioto.  Originally  erected  of  bronze  in  1588,  a  colossal 
image  of  Buddha  has  always  stood  upon  this  spot,  but  one 
after  another  was  destroyed  by  fire,  earthquake,  or  light- 
ning. The  present  one  is  of  wood  and  consists  merely  of 
shoulders  and  head.  The  height  of  the  statue  is  fifty- 
eight  feet,  the  face  being  thirty  feet  long.     The  huge  bell 

[312] 


KIOTO,  HEART  OF  OLD  JAPAN 

which  is  suspended  near  by  is  about  fourteen  feet  high  and 
weighs  sixty-three  tons,  being  one  of  the  four  largest  bells 
in  Japan,  the  other  three  being  located  in  the  Chion-in 
temple  at  Kioto,  the  Tennoji  Temple  in  Osaka,  and  the 
fourth  one  at  Nara. 

The  Sanju-Sangen-do,  which  was  the  last  temple  we 
visited  during  our  stay  in  Kioto,  is  located  in  the  south- 
east portion  of  the  city  and  contains  a  thousand  life-sized 
images  of  Kwannon,  the  goddess  of  Mercy,  which  are 
ranged  in  long  rows,  five  deep,  on  either  side  of  a  central 
figure,  also  representing  Kwannon,  but  of  much  larger  size. 
This  temple  was  founded  in  1132  by  Emperor  Toba  and 
like  many  of  the  temples  and  palaces  of  Japan  has  been 
destroyed  and  rebuilt  many  times,  the  last  time  in  1662 
by  the  Shogun  Ietsuna.  Although  there  are  but  1,000 
images  of  Kwannon  in  the  temple,  there  are  33,333  figures 
of  the  goddess,  by  computing  all  of  the  smaller  effigies  on 
the  foreheads,  hands,  and  in  the  halos.  While  all  of  the 
images  represent  the  same  divine  personage,  no  two  have 
the  same  arrangement  of  hands  and  articles  held  in  them. 
The  large  central  image  is  surrounded  by  Kwannon 's 
twenty-eight  followers. 

After  making  the  rounds  of  many  of  the  most  promi- 
nent temples  of  Kioto,  both  Shinto  and  Buddhist,  I  was 
surprised  to  find  how  many  natives  still  adhere,  with  great 
devotion,  to  the  religions  of  their  ancestors.  Standing  be- 
fore temples  everywhere  they  were  observed  clapping 
hands  to  call  the  gods  to  witness  their  prayers  and  to  ask 
blessings  for  themselves  and  families.  The  women  of 
Japan,  like  women  in  all  other  parts  of  the  world,  were 
the  most  constant  attendants  and  the  most  faithful  in  their 
belief.  The  celebration  of  the  services  by  the  Buddhist 
priests,  the  chanting  of  masses,  burning  of  candles,  swing- 
ing of  incense  burners,  prostrations,  genuflexions,  and  bows, 
reminded  one  strongly  of  the  Roman  church  at  home.  It 
was  the  great  similarity  of  the  Christian  religion,  which 
Francis  Xavier  introduced  into  Japan  in  the  sixteenth 

[313] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

century,  to  Buddhism  that  enabled  the  'Jesuit  fathers  to 
proselyte  the  natives  by  hundreds  of  thousands,  and  the 
same  greed  of  power  which  crops  out  in  France,  Spain, 
and  Portugal,  that  caused  the  expulsion  and  terrible  mas- 
sacre of  the  Catholics  which  followed  in  the  seventeenth 
century. 

It  was  with  genuine  pleasure  the  following  morning, 
after  a  strenuous  day  in  visiting  the  palaces  and  temples 
of  the  city,  that  we  entered  our  rickshas  for  Nijo  Station, 
bent  on  a  visit  to  the  famous  gorge  of  Arashi-yama  and  a 
voyage  down  the  Hodzu  Rapids  which  is  considered  one 
of  the  most  attractive  and  exciting  trips  around  Kioto. 
The  railroad  journey  from  the  station  to  the  town  of 
Kameoka  requires  fifty  minutes  and  then  a  ten -minute 
walk  to  the  village  of  Hodzu  where  the  tourist  embarks  to 
shoot  the  rapids.  The  railroad  journey  to  Kameoka  is 
exceedingly  picturesque,  as  the  line  runs  along  the  shores 
of  the  foaming  river  and  discloses  scenery  which  is  ravish- 
ing in  beauty.  The  steep  hillsides  are  covered  with  a 
thick  mat  of  deep  green  pines,  while  the  glens  and  folds 
below  along  the  valley  are  fringed  with  maple  and  cherry 
trees.  Many  of  the  cherry  trees  were  brought  from 
Yoshino  in  the  thirteenth  century  by  the  Emperor  Kame- 
yama  and  attract  pilgrims  from  the  outlying  districts  dur- 
ing the  season  of  the  blossom. 

The  most  attractive  feature  of  Japan  to  me  is  its  scenery, 
and  I  marvel  not  at  the  aestheticism  of  this  race  born 
under  the  inspiration  of  such  natural  beauty.  I  have  al- 
ways been  a  lover  of  Nature  and  would  rather  a  thousand 
times  live  under  the  influence  of  majestic  mountains,  end- 
less plains,  or  restless  ocean  than  in  the  gayest  capital  of 
the  world. 

I  love  to  be  in  touch  with  Nature,  to  watch  the  early 
birth  of  Spring  and  to  catch  the  first  tinge  of  verdure  as 
it  covers  meadow,  field,  and  dale.  I  love  to  watch  the 
swelling  of  the  buds  which  later  burst  forth  into  the  deli- 
cate coloring  of  the  apple,  peach,  and  cherry  blossom,  and 

[314] 


KIOTO,  HEART  OF  OLD  JAPAN 

to  find  the  tiny  pink  flower  of  the  trailing  arbutus,  that 
early  harbinger  of  Spring  which  unfolds  its  modest  beauty 
long  before  the  last  veil  of  snow  disappears  from  the  warm- 
ing slope  of  the  eastern  hillside.  I  love  to  watch  the 
tasselling  of  the  corn  in  June,  the  waving  fields  of  golden 
grain,  and  to  hear  the  lowing  of  the  cattle  on  the  distant 
hills.  And  when  the  dog-days  have  gone  and  the  corn  is 
in  the  shock,  to  see  the  purple  of  the  heather  and  the 
brilliant  shades  of  autumn  coming  on.  It  is  indeed  a 
heritage,  a  glorious  privilege,  my  friends,  to  have  seen  the 
light  of  day  far  from  the  surging  throng  and  garish  lights 
of  beetling  street. 

"To  him  who,  in  the  love  of  Nature,  holds 
Communion  with  her  visible  forms,  she  speaks 
A  various  language:  for  his  gayer  hours 
She  has  a  voice  of  gladness,  and  a  smile- 
And  eloquence  of  beauty;  and  she  glides 
Into  his  musings  with  a  mild 
And  gentle  sympathy,  that  steals  away 
Their  sharpness,  ere  he  is  aware." 

The  boats  in  which  the  tourist  embarks  at  the  village 
of  Hodzu  are  large,  broad  of  beam,  with  flat  bottoms,  and 
can  accommodate  about  six  passengers.  The  crew  usually 
numbers  four  men  and  the  journey  requires  from  one  and 
a  half  to  two  hours.  The  excitement  of  the  trip  begins 
shortly  after  leaving  Hodzu  and  continues  unabated  until 
almost  within  the  sight  of  Arashi-yama,  where  the  boat 
enters  quiet  water. 

The  bed  of  the  river  is  very  rocky  most  of  the  distance 
and  is  hemmed  in  here  and  there  by  narrow  passages  be- 
tween artificially  constructed  embankments  of  rock,  where 
the  river  rushes  along  with  eddying  current.  The  rapids 
are  very  numerous  along  the  upper  portion  of  the  river 
and  ofttimes  the  boat  narrowly  escapes  destruction  as  it 
swirls  by  projecting  rock  or  hindering  islet. 

In  spite  of  the  pleasure  of  the  excitement  one  expresses 
[315] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

a  sigh  of  relief  as  the  boat  glides  out  upon  the  placid 
waters  and  ties  up  along  the  shores  of  Arashi-yama.  The 
traveller  who  has  plenty  of  leisure  and  is  fond  of  scenery 
should  order  his  ricksha  to  await  him  at  Arashi-yama  and 
return  to  the  city,  via  the  Golden  Pavilion,  by  attractive 
country  roads ;  otherwise  he  must  return  by  rail  from  Saga. 

Among  others  of  the  pleasant  outings  from  Kioto,  is  a 
trip  to  the  Lake  of  Omi  or  Biwa,  as  it  is  popularly  called, 
on  account  of  its  fancied  resemblance  to  a  Japanese  guitar. 
This  beautiful  lake,  whose  classic  shores  can  be  seen  from 
the  car  window  en  route  to  Gifu,  may  be  reached  over  the 
Hiei-zan  range,  or  by  train  or  ricksha  to  Otsu.  Should 
the  tourist  decide  to  make  a  pedestrian  trip  over  Hiei-zan 
to  the  lake,  he  should  take  a  ricksha  across  the  flats  to 
Shira-kawa  which  is  at  the  foot  of  the  highest  point  of  the 
mountain.  The  view  from  the  summit  is  superb,  and  in- 
cludes a  magnificent  panorama  both  of  Kioto,  which  lies 
in  the  valley  to  the  west,  and  the  shores  of  the  lake  to 
the  east. 

During  the  Middle  Ages  this  mountain  range  was  cov- 
ered with  Buddhist  temples  and  monasteries,  to  such  an 
extent  that  the  monks  became  a  menace  to  the  peace  of  the 
city  and  would  swoop  down  upon  it  after  the  manner  of 
banditti.  On  account  of  their  lawlessness,  in  the  year 
1571  Oda  Nobunaga,  Hideyoshi's  gr,eat  general,  burned 
over  3,000  of  their  buildings  and  put  hundreds  of  the 
monks,  nuns,  and  their  children  to  the  sword. 

The  journey  afoot  during  pleasant  weather  makes  a 
charming  outing  for  the  young  and  sturdy,  but  is  too 
strenuous  for  those  not  accustomed  to  long  walks.  A 
number  of  interesting  old  temples  are  still  in  existence 
which  may  be  seen  in  the  parks  and  groves  on  the  eastern 
slopes  of  the  range.  From  Shimo-Sakamoto  rickshas 
should  be  taken  along  the  shore  of  the  lake  to  Utso,  from 
which  point  one  may  return  by  train,  ricksha,  or  the  canal. 
En  route  to  Utso  at  the  village  of  Karasaki,  the  visitor 
should  make   a  halt   to   inspect  the   monster   pine   tree, 

[316] 


'See  no  evil,  speak  no  evil,  hear  no  evil' 


Famous  carved  monkeys,  by  Hidari  Jingoro, 
Nik-ko,  Japan 


Interior  of  Temple  of  Mats,  Sacred  Island,  Japan, 
decorated  with  wooden  rice  spoons 


Castle  at  Osaka,  Japan 


KIOTO,  HEART   OF  OLD  JAPAN 

famous  all  over  Japan,  one  of  the  oldest,  and  perhaps  the 
most  remarkable  tree,  in  the  world.  While  the  tree  is 
only  ninety  feet  in  height  some  of  its  branches  extend  out 
380  feet  from  the  trunk  and  are  supported  by  a  series  of 
scaffolding,  consisting  of  wooden  legs  resting  on  stone 
cushions. 

Lake  Biwa  is  the  largest  interior  body  of  water  in  the 
empire  and  is  thirty-six  miles  long  by  twelve  in  width. 
Almost  every  mountain,  stream,  or  valley  in  Japan  has  a 
legend  and  so  has  Biwa.  It  is  said  that  the  lake  owes  its 
existence  to  a  great  earthquake  which  occurred  in  286  b.  c, 
when  also  Mount  Fuji  arose  out  of  the  Plain  of  Suraga 
at  the  same  moment.  The  southern  and  eastern  shores  of 
the  lake  are  especially  beautiful  and  picturesque  and  have 
been  the  subject  of  poet  and  artist  for  many  centuries. 

The  eight  classic  beauties  of  Biwa,  which  have  become 
the  subject  of  native  artists  are  as  follows :  The  "Autumn 
moon  seen  from  Ishiyama,"  the  "Evening  Snow  in 
Hirayama,"  the  "Sunset  Glow  at  Seta,"  the  "Evening 
Bell  of  Midera,"  the  "Boats  sailing  back  from  Yabase," 
a  "Bright  Sky  with  a  Breeze  at  Awazu,"  "Rain  by 
Night  at  Karasaki,"  and  the  "Wild  geese  alighting  at 
Katata."  In  1889  a  canal  joining  Lake  Biwa  with  the 
Kamo  River  in  Kioto  was  opened,  thus  connecting  the 
lake  with  Osaka  Bay.  This  splendid  piece  of  engineer- 
ing was  accomplished  by  a  young  native  engineer,  Tanabe 
Sakura,  without  foreign  assistance,  and  at  a  cost  of  eight 
million  yen.  The  return  trip  to  Kioto  by  this  canal  is 
very  interesting  and  passes  through  three  tunnels,  the 
first  being  a  mile  and  a  half  long,  the  second  400  feet, 
and  the  third  a  half-mile  long.  Boats  on  arrival  at  Kioto 
pass  down  an  incline  into  the  Kamo  River  canal,  in 
wheeled  cradles,  by  electric  power. 

We  had  passed  three  delightful,  but  strenuous  days  in 
Kioto,  and  were  enjoying  a  quiet  cigar  the  evening  before 
our  departure  for  Nara,  when  one  of  our  shipmates  from 
Manila,    familiarly   known   as   "Blinks"   throughout   the 

[317] 


QN  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

army,  appeared  upon  the  scene  and  invited  our  party  to 
attend  a  geisha  dance,  which  he  had  arranged  at  a  prom- 
inent tea-house  in  Kyogoku,  the  gayest  centre  of  the  city. 
As  a  special  inducement  we  were  informed  that  a  dozen 
star  graduates  from  the  Royal  Geisha  School  were  to 
participate,  so  there  was  nothing  left  but  to  go. 

The  charm  of  the  Japanese  singing  and  dancing  girl 
has  been  the  theme  of  poetry  and  song  for  countless  ages 
in  Dai-Nippon,  and  the  tea-houses  the  Arcadia  of  the 
youthful  sports  during  the  shades  of  evening.  Kioto  is 
noted  for  its  dancing-school  and  special  dances,  many  of 
which  are  ancient  and  greatly  patronized.  The  No  dance, 
or  classic  drama,  is  only  attended  by  the  cultivated  and 
refined  classes.  Generally  speaking,  foreigners  would  ap- 
preciate the  declamatory  and  pantomimic  frenzy  of  this 
classical  lyric  about  as  much  as  the  ordinary  Japanese 
would  understand  "Wagner's  Trilogy. 

The  story  of  Japan  in  fact  opens  with  song  and  dance, 
according  to  the  mythological  legend  of  the  Sun-Goddess, 
who  was  lured  from  her  cave  of  darkness  through  the 
accomplishments  of  the  beautiful  Uzume.  The  geisha  girl 
is  indeed  but  a  step  from  the  dancing  and  singing  priest- 
esses of  the  sacred  Shinto  temples  at  Ise  and  Nara,  whose 
ceremonial  no  doubt  originated  with  the  first  geisha, 
Uzume,  before  the  cave  of  Amaterasu,  at  the  dawn  of 
Japan's  history. 

After  a  ricksha  ride  of  twenty  minutes  we  drew  up 
before  a  rather  pretentious  looking  building  and  were  con- 
ducted into  a  handsomely  appointed  room  in  the  second 
story.  The  mats  which  covered  the  floor  were  of  the 
finest  weave,  while  the  wood  trimmings  and  paper  panels 
decorating  the  sides  and  walls  were  artistic  and  refined. 

It  was  not  very  long  after  our  arrival  before  the 
dramatis  personce  fluttered  in,  looking  like  a  flock  of  trop- 
ical birds  in  their  magnificent  robes  patterned  after  birds 
and  flowers,  and  brilliant  obis  which  gave  them  the  ap- 

[318] 


KIOTO,  HEART  OF  OLD  JAPAN 

pearance  of  gorgeous  butterflies.  None  of  the  girls  ap- 
peared to  be  more  than  twelve  years  old,  though  who 
can  reckon  age  when  protected  by  an  artistic  mask  of 
enamel  and  paint.  Yes,  the  little  geishas  were  charming,  as 
long  as  they  grouped  themselves  in  true  Japanese  style 
around  their  guests,  or  were  busily  engaged  in  passing 
sake,  which  was  mild  at  first  but  exhilarating  in 
the  cakes  and  sweetmeats,  or  Kioto's  choicest  brew  of 
inspiration. 

The  flowing  bowl  had  made  its  fifth  and  final  round 
before  the  first  fairy  stepped  upon  the  floor  and  executed 
a  pas  seul  with  the  dexterity  of  a  Parisian  ballet  girl. 
This  was  followed  by  other  geishas  in  pairs,  who  affected 
singular  and  curious  posing  movements  accompanied  by 
weird  and  doleful  songs,  while  the  band  of  three  plainly 
dressed  women  produced  most  discordant  sounds  on  the 
samisen. 

It  was  not  until  the  benign  influence  of  sake  began  to 
surge  through  artery  and  vein  that  the  acme  of  the  enter- 
tainment was  reached,  and  now  by  threes  and  fours  the 
geishas  rushed  upon  the  floor,  executing  symmetrical  but 
contradictory  movements,  and  with  shrieks  and  yells  in- 
terpreting, no  doubt,  ancient  tales  of  the  long  ago.  The 
entertainment  would  have  been  far  more  interesting  had 
we  known  the  story  which  they  so  graphically  tried  to 
represent. 

There  are  Western  critics  who  rave  over  the  discordant 
sounds  of  Japanese  lute  and  samisen  and  go  into  rhapsody 
while  listening  to  the  hoarse  and  high-keyed  notes  of 
Japan's  ancient  drama.  I  do  not  pretend  to  be  a  musical 
critic  but  I  have  heard  the  funeral  chant  of  the  Indian 
squaw  in  the  ceremony  of  her  dead,  the  song  of  pain  from 
the  young  warrior  during  the  tortures  of  the  Sun  Dance, 
and  the  fierce  war-whoop  of  the  dreaded  Sioux  on  the 
"Western  plains,  and  I  am  free  to  confess  that  these, 
compared  to  the  Olle!  Olle!  of  the  geisha  girl  when  the 

[319] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

inspiring  sake  has  wrought  its  work,  sound  like  the  low, 
sweet  lullaby  of  a  gentle  mother  at  the  cradle-side !  I  was 
really  glad  when  the  entertainment  was  over  but  will 
carry  in  mind,  while  memory  lasts,  the  far-famed  Geisha 
Dance  of  Old  Kioto. 


[320] 


CHAPTER  XXXI 

NARA,  THE  ANCIENT   CAPITAL  OF  DAI-NIPPON 

Departure  for  Nara  —  Tea  District  of  Uji  —  Japan's 
Thermopylae  —  The  Ancient  Capital  of  Nara  and  the 
Modern  City  —  Yamato,  the  Cradle  of  Japan  —  The 
Mounds  and  Dolmens  of  Its  Ancient  Rulers  —  The 
Avenue  and  Roads  of  the  Park  —  Sacred  Bands  of 
Deer  —  Temples  and  Museums  —  The  Kagura  Dance 
—  The  Crumbling  Temples  of  the  Plain  —  The 
Horyuji  —  Osaka,  the  Chicago  of  Japan  —  A  Modern 
Japanese  Banquet  —  The  Sights  of  the  City  —  The 
Old  Castle  and  Tennoji  Temple  —  Osaka  by  Gas- 
light. 

AT  an  early  hour  the  morning  following  the  geisha  dance 
we  were  well  on  our  way  to  Nara,  though  our  souls 
were  still  lingering  with  fondest  recollections  in  the  Im- 
perial Capital  of  the  West.  No  one,  who  has  ever  visited 
that  quiet,  fascinating  city,  can  fail  to  appreciate  its 
exquisite  charm  or  resist  the  seductive  spell,  which  chains 
one  to  it.  Our  train  had  left  the  ancient  town  of  Fushimi 
and  the  lofty  hill  of  Momoyama  upon  which  the  great 
Hideyoshi  had  built  his  palace,  as  the  picturesque  range 
of  Hiei-zan  surrounding  Kioto,  disappeared  from  our 
view. 

"The  hill  of  Momoyama,"  said  the  Major,  "marks  the 
field  of  one  of  the  most  sanguinary  battles  fought  during 
the  Revolution  in  1868,  between  the  partisans  of  the 
shogun,  and  the  Imperial  forces,  and,  besides,  is  the  site 
of  the  grandest  palace  ever  built  in  Japan.  This  superb 
21  [  321  ] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

structure  was  erected  in  1593  by  order  of  Hideyoshi,  the 
Napoleon  of  Japan.  Although  every  trace  of  the  palace 
has  disappeared,  the  priceless  works  of  art  which  it  con- 
tained have  been  distributed  among  the  temples,  museums, 
and  palaces  of  Kioto  and  include  many  golden  screens, 
fusamas,  bronzes,  and  carvings,  executed  by  the  most  cele- 
brated artists  of  that  day. ' ' 

The  railroad  from  Kioto  to  Nara,  only  twenty-six  miles 
distant,  crosses  the  Yodogawa,  the  outlet  of  Lake  Biwa, 
Uji,  the  most  famous  tea-growing  centre  in  the  empire, 
and  is  well  worth  a  visit  during  the  tea-picking  season. 
A  few  miles  before  reaching  Uji  the  train  stops  at  Kobato 
from  which  station  an  interesting  ricksha  trip  may  be  made 
to  Obaku-san,  where  stands  a  massive  Buddhist  temple, 
surrounded  by  extensive  grounds  founded  in  1659  by  a 
Chinese  priest  named  Inzen.  The  three  principal  build- 
ings of  this  old  temple,  the  Tenno-do  or  Emperor's  Hall, 
Hondo  or  Main  Hall,  and  Hatto  or  Storehouse,  are  in 
good  condition.  The  Hatto  contains  a  complete  set  of 
wooden  blocks  (60,000)  for  printing  the  Chinese  version 
of  the  Chinese  canon. 

A  quarter  of  an  hour  up  the  river  on  the  Kioto  side 
the  bridge  is  reached  which  crosses  the  Yodogawa  and  con- 
ducts the  tourist  to  Uji's  chief  sight,  the  ancient  Temple 
of  Byodo-in,  erected  in  1052  a.d.,  near  the  theatre  of 
that  wonderful  Japanese  Thermopylae,  where  the  famous 
warrior,  Yorimasa,  with  300  men  at  one  end  of  the  bridge, 
withstood  20,000  of  the  Taira  host,  long  enough  for  his 
lord,  Prince  Mochihito,  to  escape.  After  many  feats  of 
remarkable  prowess  and  with  but  a  handful  of  his 
faithful  band  remaining,  he  retired  within  the  sacred 
precincts  of  the  holy  temple  and  calmly  ended  his  life  by 
falling  upon  his  sword. 

Within  the  temple  grounds  will  be  noticed  a  curious 
building  known  as  the  Phoenix  Hall,  which  is  built  in  the 
shape  of  the  phoenix-bird.  Originally  it  was  considered 
very  beautiful  but  it  is  now  rapidly  approaching  decay. 

[322] 


NARA,  ANCIENT  CAPITAL 

The  two-storied  central  portion  represents  the  body  of 
the  bird,  the  right  and  left  corridors  and  colonnades  the 
wings.  A  corridor  in  the  rear  forms  the  tail.  Many 
handsome  paintings  and  decorations  attest  the  original 
beauty  of  the  temple,  although  now  badly  damaged  by 
exposure  to  the  tempests  and  storms  of  many  centuries. 
The  altar  was  originally  covered  with  gold  lacquer  inlaid 
with  mother-of-pearl  and  'doubtlessly  presented  a  gor- 
geous appearance  when  new. 

In  order  that  the  world  shall  ever  bear  in  fond  remem- 
brance the  virtues  of  their  soil  and  the  superiority  of  the 
local  shrub,  the  planters,  in  1887,  erected  in  the  temple 
grounds  a  large  stone  monument  in  honor  of  the  Uji  tea. 
And  well  may  they  sound  the  praises  of  Uji's  fragrant 
leaf  which  for  centuries  has  been  the  chosen  brand  among 
the  voluptuaries  of  the  Cha-no-yu. 

Tea  was  introduced  into  Japan  from  China  in  805  a.d. 
by  the  Buddhist  saint,  Dengyo  Daishi.  The  largest  tea 
district  exists  southwest  of  Fuji,  in  which  62,000  families 
are  engaged  in  the  culture.  The  tea-picking  season  begins 
the  last  of  April  or  first  of  May,  when  the  entire  district 
has  the  appearance  of  a  fete  champetre.  At  this  season 
the  fields  are  alive  with  men,  women,  and  children  who, 
with  joyous  shout  and  happy  smile,  are  engaged  from  morn 
till  night,  in  picking  off  the  early  tender  leaves  which  consti- 
tute the  choicest  portion  of  the  crop. 

As  soon  as  possible,  after  picking,  the  leaves  are  placed 
in  round  wooden  trays  with  wire  bottoms  and  held  a  half- 
minute  over  steaming  water,  after  which  they  are  placed 
in  wooden  frames  and  fired  over  charcoal.  The  curled 
or  twisted  shape  of  the  leaf  is  effected  by  being  rolled 
in  the  palms  of  the  hand.  The  ordinary  tea  sold  in  tea- 
houses costs  from  ten  to  twenty-five  cents  per  pound,  while 
the  higher  grades  bring  from  fifty  cents  to  a  dollar.  The 
Kioto  and  Uji  teas,  which  rarely  leave  the  country,  range 
from  five  to  ten  dollars  per  pound  and  are  considered  a 
great  delicacy.     Since  the  opening  of  Japan  in  1854,  it 

[323] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

has  become  one  of  the  great  tea-producing  countries  of  the 
world  and  sends  across  the  Pacific  to  America  alone  each 
year  40,000,000  pounds. 

During  the  summer-time  Uji  becomes  very  popular  with 
the  people  of  Kioto,  who  flock  there  in  large  parties  to 
watch  the  fire-flies,  so  numerous  at  that  season.  Long 
before  the  advent  of  gas,  electricity,  and  oils  for  lighting 
purposes  in  Old  Japan,  the  student  class  often  read  by  the 
light  of  the  fire-flies,  which  were  confined  by  the  hundreds 
in  small  cages  arranged  for  the  purpose. 

"My  friends,"  said  the  Major,  on  reentering  the  train 
at  Uji  for  Nara,  "within  the  hour  we  will  reach  that 
sacred  region  where  Dai-Nippon,  in  primeval  days,  awoke 
from  mountain  plain  and  fen  to  find  itself  a  nation. 
Yes,  it  is  here  in  the  province  of  Yamato,  but  a  few 
miles  from  the  old  capital  of  Nara,  that  the  tumulus  was 
found  which  contains  all  that  is  mortal  of  the  great  Jimmu 
Tenno,  the  Romulus  of  Japan  and  founder  of  the  Empire. 

' '  You  will  remember  that  Jimmu,  according  to  the  myth- 
ological origin  of  the  people,  descended  from  the  Sun- 
Goddess  Amaterasu  and  that  he  received  a  commission 
from  Heaven  to  subdue  the  wild  tribes  of  the  land.  After 
a  voyage  of  uninterrupted  military  successes  through  the 
Inland  Sea,  he  finally  located  his  capital  at  Kashiwa-bara, 
in  the  Province  of  Yamato,  where  he  was  buried  at  the 
age  of  137,  after  a  successful  reign  of  seventy-five  years. 

"Until  784  a.d.  the  Imperial  capital  was  confined  to 
Yamato  or  adjacent  provinces,  as  a  result  of  which  the 
country  is  dotted  over  with  the  tumuli  of  the  succeeding 
rulers  whose  graves  have  received  scant  attention,  either 
from  the  simple  country  folk,  or  official  circles.  Burial 
in  dolmens  or  mounds  was  customary  in  Japan  until  the 
eighth  century,  with  rarely  an  inscription  to  mark  the 
name  of  the  deceased.  Hence,  of  the  many  Mikados, 
princes,  and  notables  who  died  preceding  the  abandonment 
of  Nara,  but  few  of  their  final  resting-places  are  known. 

"While  the  fertile  plain  of  Yamato  has  been  the  cradle 
[324] 


NARA,  ANCIENT  CAPITAL 

of  the  Japanese  race,  we  can  find  nothing  to  mark  the 
site  of  their  ancient  courts.  It  must  be  remembered, 
however,  that  until  this  period  a  strange  superstition  pos- 
sessed them  which  made  it  impossible  for  an  Emperor  to 
live  in  the  capital  occupied  by  his  predecessor.  The  anal- 
ogy between  the  burial  customs  of  these  ancient  rulers  and 
those  of  that  curious  tribe,  the  Igorots,  who  are  of  Malay 
origin  and  live  on  the  mountain  plains  of  Benguet  in  the 
Philippines,  forges  with  greater  strength  the  chain  of  evi- 
dence which  links  the  primitive  Japanese  to  the  Malay 
race.  To  this  very  day  the  Igorots  destroy  by  fire  the 
habitations  of  their  dead,  after  the  seven-days'  feast  and 
burial  service  are  over." 

By  the  time  the  Major  had  finished  his  disquisition 
on  the  burial  places  of  the  ancient  Mikados,  we  had 
reached  Nara,  which  is  the  very  heart  of  Old  Japan. 
The  populous  city  originally  occupying  the  great  plain 
at  the  base  of  the  mountains  has  disappeared  as  if  by 
magic,  and  nothing  is  left  to  mark  its  once  crowded  site 
except  a  small  town,  nestling  on  the  undulating  slopes 
of  its  wooded  hills,  and  a  dozen  or  more  sacred  temples 
scattered  along  its  forest-clad  avenues. 

The  once  teeming  plains  with  crowded  streets  and  busy 
marts  have  become  transformed  into  wretched  farms,  now 
the  homes  of  simple  peasant  or  country  boor.  Although 
slumbering  in  the  glories  of  its  past,  the  priceless  foot- 
prints which  remain  will  evoke  the  wonder  and  admira- 
tion of  the  visiting  stranger,  as  long  as  glade  and  dell 
and  wooded  hill  protect  them  from  the  mould  of  time. 

From  the  station  a  broad  well  macadamized  avenue 
leads  directly  towards  the  park  in  which  the  principal 
temples  and  buildings  are  located.  Beyond  the  village  a 
mile  away,  and  near  the  main  torii  leading  into  the  park, 
the  traveller  passes  the  Ki-kusui  hotel,  a  charming  little 
native  inn  where  excellent  food  and  accommodations  may 
be  obtained.  In  a  gentle  vale  beyond,  and  at  the  foot  of 
a  prominent  ridge  upon  which  the  Nara  hotel  is  located, 

[325] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

an  exquisite  lake  with  curving  shores  reflects  at  eventide 
the  massive  five-storied  pagoda  which  crowns  a  neighbor- 
ing hill. 

After  a  delightful  lunch  in  the  garden  of  the  inn,  we 
proceeded  at  once  down  the  long,  wooded  avenue  of  the 
park  which  was  intersected  here  and  there  by  excellent 
macadamized  roads,  lined  with  majestic  cryptomerias, 
Lebanon  cedars,  and  spreading  maples.  Bands  of  tame, 
spotted  deer,  with  soft  and  lustrous  eyes,  crowded  around 
our  rickshas  as  we  passed  along,  and  mutely  pleaded  for 
the  little  cakes  which  are  conveniently  sold  to  the  tourist 
as  food  for  these  sacred  animals.  It  is  said  that  the 
bucks  are  dehorned  in  the  fall  of  the  year,  in  order  to 
prevent  them  from  injuring  the  tourists.  Rather  than 
suspect  these  gentle  creatures,  it  would  be  safer  to  im- 
pugn the  motives  of  the  officials  in  charge,  who  no  doubt 
reap  a  rich  harvest  from  the  sale  of  the  antlers  to  the 
carvers  of  horn. 

At  the  end  of  the  principal  avenue  of  the  park  is  located 
the  ancient  Shinto  temple  of  Kasuga-no-miya,  founded 
in  767  a.  d.  and  dedicated  to  the  Fujiwaras  who  for  cen- 
turies were  regents  to  the  throne.  This  wonderful,  old 
temple  is  approached  by  an  avenue  lined  with  massive 
stone  lanterns,  which  gives  it  an  impressive  appearance, 
although  all  Shinto  temples  are  characterized  by  sim- 
plicity of  architecture.  Generally  speaking  there  is 
nothing  significant  of  devotion  about  a  Shinto  temple  ex- 
cept the  sacred  symbols,  the  sword,  mirror,  and  jewel, 
which  are  supposed  to  have  been  brought  to  earth  by 
Ninigi,  the  grandson  of  the  Sun-Goddess  Amaterasu. 

In  a  room  in  this  temple  are  the  armor  and  helmet  of 
the  famous  Yoshitsune,  half-brother  of  the  great  Yoritomo, 
the  first  shogun,  whose  injustice  to  Yoshitsune  has  never 
been  forgiven  by  the  Japanese  people,  although  nine  cen- 
turies have  come  and  gone  since  then.  At  an  early  age, 
Yoshitsune  became  a  brilliant  warrior  and  is  to-day  the 
idol   of   the   Japanese  youth.     It   was   he   who   won   the 

[326] 


NARA,  ANCIENT  CAPITAL 

great  naval  fight  at  Dan-no-ura  in  which  the  power  of 
the  Tairas  was  forever  broken  and  the  ascension  of  his 
brother,  Yoritomo,  to  the  shogunate  made  possible. 

A  short  distance  from  the  entrance  to  the  main  temple 
the  visitor  reaches  a  small  building  in  which  the  ancient 
religious  dance  called  the  Kagura  is  performed.  The 
young  priestesses  were  attired  in  wide,  red,  divided  skirts, 
with  white  undergarments  and  long  gauzy  mantles 
adorned  with  the  Kasuga  crest  of  wistaria.  The  hair 
hung  down  behind  and  the  faces  were  enamelled  with  a 
thick  white  paste. 

During  the  dance,  which  consisted  of  a  series  of  poses, 
one  of  the  three  priests  played  on  a  bamboo  flute  while 
the  others  produced  noisy  sounds  by  clapping  sticks. 
The  gymnastic  movements  of  the  priestesses  were  accom- 
panied by  hand  and  arm  gestures,  during  which  small 
bells  or  bunches  of  wistaria  were  waved.  Before  the  per- 
formance had  concluded  the  Major  disappeared  in  the  sur- 
rounding forest,  evidently  having  entirely  lost  interest  in 
this  curious,  but  deadening  religious  ceremony. 

It  is  not  my  intention  to  burden  the  pages  of  this 
itinerary  with  a  description  of  the  numerous  Buddhist 
and  Shinto  temples  within  the  wooded  park  now  preserved 
by  State  or  sect,  nor  even  one  of  the  many,  crumbling  in 
decay,  upon  the  plains  of  Nara.  These  melancholy  relics 
within  abandoned  temple  groves  appear  as  disembodied 
spirits  floating  though  the  mist  of  time.  No  longer  do 
they  proudly  lift  their  glittering  roofs  among  the  mighty 
cryptomerias,  which  like  faithful  shepherds  have  for  cen- 
turies sheltered  them  from  tempest  and  from  storm,  nor 
do  their  halls  resound  with  ringing  bell  or  chanting  priest, 
or  muffled  tread  of  slippered  feet,  for  they  are  crumbling 
in  the  palsied  hands  of  death.  But  among  the  temples 
and  buildings  of  Nara  which  should  be  visited  by  the 
hurried  traveller  are  besides  the  Kasuga-no-miya  just 
mentioned,  the  Ni-gwatsu-do,  a  picturesque  Buddhist 
temple,   the   Todaiji   which  encloses   the   famous   bell   of 

[327] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

Nara,  the  celebrated  Image  of  Buddha,  and  the  National 
Museum  which  is  rich  in  its  collections  of  mediaeval  armor, 
early  manuscripts,  precious  lacquers,  prehistoric  pottery, 
and  specimens  of  porcelain  from  all  of  the  kilns  of  the 
country. 

The  Ni-gwatsu-do  temple  is  built  on  piles  along  the 
steep  hillside  and  is  reached  by  a  long  flight  of  stone 
steps.  The  front  is  ornamented  with  rows  of  handsome 
brass  lanterns  which  give  it  the  appearance  of  fairy- 
land as  their  lights  twinkle  among  the  foliage  of  the 
park.  This  temple  was  originally  dedicated  to  Kwannon, 
the  Goddess  of  Mercy,  and  is  said  to  contain  a  tiny  cop- 
per image  which  possesses  the  wonderful  quality  of  pre- 
serving the  temperature  of  living  flesh.  The  image  is 
exposed  for  adoration  on  the  eighteenth  of  every  month. 
From  the  wide  gallery  which  encircles  the  building  a 
superb  view  may  be  obtained  overlooking  the  plains  of  the 
ancient  city. 

The  great  bell  enclosed  in  the  Todaiji,  was  cast  in  732 
A.  d.  and  weighs  thirty-six  tons.  For  the  small  sum  of  one 
sen  the  guardian  allows  the  tourist  to  strike  it  a  blow 
with  the  suspended  log  used  as  a  clapper.  The  sound 
of  the  bell  is  deep  and  musical  and  can  be  heard  for  miles 
when  the  atmosphere  is  right  for  conveying  sound.  For 
three  full  minutes  long  it  mumbles  to  itself  after  being 
struck. 

Not  far  away  down  the  hill  from  the  great  bell  the 
colossal  Buddha  sits  enclosed  in  an  inartistic  building 
which  is  altogether  unworthy  of  this  ancient  Image. 
This  great  bronze  figure  dates  from  749  a.  d.  and  was  the 
source  of  the  inspiration,  which  led  Yoritomo,  the  first 
shogun,  to  erect  the  one  at  Kamakura.  The  image  sits 
upon  lotus  flowers  and  is  fifty-three  and  one-half  feet 
high.  Like  most  Japanese  temples,  the  building  which 
surrounds  the  Dai-butsu  has  been  destroyed  by  repeated 
fires.  The  original  statue  remains  intact  except  the  head 
which  fell  off  in  the  latter  part  of  the  sixteenth  century, 

[328] 


NARA,  ANCIENT  CAPITAL 

but  it  has  been  replaced  by  a  new  one  which  is  not  re- 
garded as  satisfactory. 

Outside  of  one  of  the  gates  which  leads  into  the  en- 
closure occupied  by  the  great  Buddha,  stands  the 
National  Museum.  The  many  valuable  paintings  and 
other  works  of  ancient  art  which  it  contains  renders  this 
museum  one  of  the  most  valuable  store-houses  in  the 
empire  for  the  study  of  ancient  and  mediaeval  national 
development. 

Far  out  upon  the  plains  of  Nara,  stands  the  Horyuji, 
the  most  ancient  and  possibly  most  interesting  Buddhist 
temple  of  all  Japan,  and  no  one  who  visits  the  sacred 
capital  of  Nara  should  fail  in  going  there.  This  an- 
cient sanctuary  was  founded  in  607  a.  d.,  shortly  after 
Buddhism  had  filtered  into  the  country  from  Korea,  by 
Shotoku  Taishi  who  is  still  regarded  as  one  of  the  most 
wonderful  men  ever  produced  by  Japan.  This  great 
prince  and  ruler  was  the  second  son  of  Emperor  Yomei, 
and  served  for  thirty  years  as  premier,  or  regent,  during 
the  reign  of  Empress  Suiko,  his  aunt.  It  was  Shotoku 
who  gave  to  Buddhism  its  first  impulse  in  Japan  and 
stimulated  among  the  powerful  families  the  erection  of 
hundreds  of  costly  temples  throughout  the  Empire.  He 
was  not  only  a  great  promoter  of  the  new  religion  but 
an  exemplary  ruler  and  patron  of  Chinese  literature  and 
art. 

Horyuji  may  be  visited  in  ricksha,  or  better  still  by 
train,  by  those  en  route  to  Osaka,  for  it  lies  on  the  rail- 
road only  a  few  miles  beyond  Koriyama.  Visitors  will 
find  on  arrival  priestly  guides  who  are  very  willing  to 
conduct  them  through  the  temple  grounds  and  show  them 
the  priceless  treasures  of  the  place.  Not  many  years  ago 
the  Imperial  Government  became  the  patron  of  Horyuji 
and  ever  since  has  contributed  largely  to  its  support. 

Among  the  mass  of  buildings  within  the  Nam-mon  or 
Southern  gate,  and  two-storied  Ni-o-mon,  repaired  in  1902, 
are  the  Gilded  Hall  and  five-storied  Pagoda,  which  are 

[329] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

the  oldest  wooden  buildings  in  Japan  and  take  the  student 
of  Japanese  architecture  back  to  the  first  essays  on  this 
art.  The  buildings  of  Buddhist  temple  compounds  differ 
often  with  the  sect,  though  all  of  them  usually  include 
the  two-storied  gate,  belfry,  main  temple,  reliquary  or  hall 
of  bones,  priests'  apartments,  reception  rooms,  treasure 
house,  kitchen,  cistern  for  washing  the  hands  before  wor- 
ship, pagoda,  revolving  library,  torii  and  stone  lanterns, 
the  latter  being  presented  as  offerings.  Besides  the  above 
mentioned  buildings  special  shrines  are  frequently  built 
in  temple  enclosures  to  favored  gods. 

Within  the  temple  grounds  of  Horyuji  stands  an  oc- 
tagonal shrine  to  Yokushi,  the  god  of  medicine,  which  like 
many  Roman  Catholic  shrines  is  fairly  covered  with 
votive  offerings.  The  building  is  almost  hidden  under  a 
large  number  of  short  swords  placed  there  by  the  bene- 
ficiaries who,  in  this  manner,  attest  their  restoration  to 
health  and,  at  the  same  time,  make  an  offering  to  their 
favored  deity.  Numerous  mirrors,  hair-combs,  and  pins 
from  women  also  decorate  its  sides,  and  hundreds  of  drills 
are  piled  along  its  ledges  as  evidence  of  cures  from 
deafness. 

After  leaving  the  treasure  rooms,  which  contain  an  in- 
finity of  statues,  bronzes,  kakemonos,  and  other  works  of 
art,  the  visitor  reaches  the  Hall  of  Dreams,  an  octagonal 
building  erected  in  the  thirteenth  century  and  divided 
into  two  parts,  one  of  which  is  called  the  Eden  or  Painted 
Apartment  on  account  of  the  brilliant  painting  it  con- 
tains. To  the  right  is  the  Shari-den,  or  Place  of  the 
Relic,  which  is  said  to  contain  the  pupil  of  Buddha's  left 
eye.  This  holy  relic  is  enshrined  in  a  crystal  reliquary 
encased  in  seven  damask  wrappings,  but  is  exposed  to 
worship  every  day  at  noon  in  honor  of  the  Sun-God. 

Among  the  most  valuable  objects  shown  to  the  visitor 
is  a  kakemono  representing  Shotoku  Taishi  seated  at  a  little 
table,  holding  a  hand  screen.  This  painting  of  the  Great 
Teacher  is  said  to  be  thirteen  hundred  years  old.     There 

[330] 


NARA,  ANCIENT  CAPITAL 

is  also  another  portrait  of  Shotoku  in  the  temple,  which 
represents  him  at  the  age  of  sixteen,  in  red  robe  and 
black  mantle.  Besides  the  main  temple  the  compound 
contains  a  convent  of  nuns  who  show  with  infinite  pre- 
caution two  ancient  pieces  of  hand-embroidery,  one  of  which 
was  done  over  thirteen  hundred  years  ago,  the  other  five 
hundred  years  later.  It  would  be  impossible  to  describe 
the  many  wonderful  statues  to  Buddha,  exquisite  frescoes, 
paintings,  and  works  of  ancient  art  which  this  unique 
and  historic  temple  contains,  without  imposing  on  the 
patience  of  the  reader.  I  will  therefore  finish  my  brief 
description  of  the  famous  temple  by  advising  every  one 
who  passes  across  the  sacred  plains  of  Nara  to  visit 
Horyuji.  It  is  said  of  Bishop  Phillips  Brooks,  the 
famous  scholar,  traveller  and  divine,  that  of  all  the  holy 
places  in  the  world  which  he  had  visited,  none  so  moved  his 
soul  as  Nara. 

The  lingering  rays  of  the  setting  sun  were  gilding  the 
western  sky  as  we  entered  the  train  for  Osaka,  which  was 
less  than  one  hour  away.  Four  consecutive  days  we  had 
passed  in  the  closest  study  and  observation  of  holy  tem- 
ples in  the  sacred  capitals  of  Kioto  and  Nara,  and  my 
soul  was  becoming  steeped  in  the  mysterious  metaphysics 
of  Buddhism  and  the  simple  "Way  of  the  Gods."  We 
had  seen  the  glories  of  Shiba  and  Ueno  Parks  in  Old 
Yedo,  the  splendors  of  the  Mausoleum  of  Ieyasu  on 
the  mountain-side  at  Nik-ko,  and  had  stood  entranced 
before  the  Image  of  Buddha  upon  the  pine-clad  shores 
of  Kamakura.  For  six  weeks  we  had  wandered  far  and 
wide,  over  hill  and  dale  and  mountain-side,  and  never 
failed  in  copse  or  wooded  dell,  to  find  a  shrine  to  some 
strange  heathen  god. 

Whence  arose  the  source  of  this  great  fertilizing  flood 
from  India  which  had  transported  the  soul  of  Dai- 
Nippon  and  absorbed  the  simple  faith  of  their  divine  an- 
cestors? When  Buddhism  swept  over  Japan  in  the 
sixth  century  it  adopted  Shintoism,  the  primitive  religion, 

[331] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

as  a  tenant  and  a  century  later  had  become  the  national 
religion  of  the  land.  Buddhism  in  Japan  paralleled 
Komanism  in  feudal  Europe,  until  the  Reformation,  when 
Shintoism,  like  Protestantism,  revolted. 

"The  two  great  religious  cults  of  Japan,  Mr.  Rhodes," 
said  the  Judge,  as  we  were  approaching  the  lights  of 
Osaka,  "next  to  the  origin  of  its  people,  are  the  most 
engrossing  themes  of  thought  and  study  connected  with 
the  development  of  the  country,  and  if  agreeable,  I  will 
be  pleased  at  some  opportune  time  to  give  you  the  benefit 
of  my  researches  on  the  subject." 

On  arrival  at  the  Osaka  hotel,  a  comfortable  and  well 
appointed  hostelry  for  American  and  European  guests, 
we  found  a  banquet  in  progress,  the  occasion  being  a  con- 
vention of  Japanese  journalists  who,  doubtless,  like  their 
American  colleagues,  had  gathered  together  to  discuss  the 
interests  of  the  guild.  A  hasty  peep  into  the  banquet- 
hall  disclosed  a  company  of  a  hundred  or  more  well- 
groomed  Japanese  gentlemen,  wearing  the  conventional 
smoking- jacket  of  the  West  and  using  knife  and  fork  in- 
stead of  chop-sticks.  A  Portuguese  band  was  discoursing 
popular  Spanish  airs,  among  which  were  heard  the 
familiar  strains  of  "La  Paloma"  and  "La  Golondrina," 
the  latter  being  the  "Home,  Sweet  Home"  of  Mexico.  A 
well-arranged  programme  had  been  prepared  with  a  toast- 
master,  and  no  doubt  several  Chauncey  Depews  and  Henry 
Wattersons  sat  around  the  festive  board  to  enliven  the 
feast  with  wit  and  humor  when  toasts  became  the  order  of 
the  hour. 

In  an  adjoining  room  a  committee  of  merchants  and 
prominent  business  men  were  holding  a  smoker  and  pre- 
paring plans  for  the  reception  of  the  delegation  of  Ameri- 
can business  men  from  San  Francisco,  who  were  shortly 
to  visit  Osaka  and  other  principal  cities  of  the  empire. 
The  hotel  is  very  spacious  and  among  the  many  dining- 
rooms  is  one  capable  of  seating  four  hundred  guests. 
The  manager,  who  had  spent  many  years  in  the  United 

[332] 


NARA,  ANCIENT  CAPITAL 

States,  informed  us  that  the  Osakans  very  frequently  in- 
dulged in  large  dinner  parties,  served  according  to  the 
European  menu.  Restaurants  furnishing  European  food 
have  become  very  popular  among  the  Japanese  recently, 
and  unlike  the  other  nations  of  the  Orient,  they  are  more 
than  anxious  to  adopt  every  custom  of  the  Occident. 

The  great  metropolis  of  Osaka,  commonly  known  as  the 
Chicago  of  Japan,  is  the  second  city  of  the  empire  and 
contains  a  population  of  a  million  people.  Conveniently 
located  on  both  banks  of  the  Yodogawa  near  its  estuary 
with  the  Bay  of  Osaka,  it  eclipses  all  other  cities  of  the 
empire  in  commerce  and  manufacture.  Over  5,000  smoke- 
stacks break  the  sky-line  at  present,  which  are  quite  sig- 
nificant of  the  number  of  its  factories.  A  large  island 
in  the  centre  of  the  city  divides  the  river  into  two  broad 
channels  and  adds  much  to  the  beauty  and  pleasure  of 
the  place. 

Numerous  canals  and  dykes  also  intersect  the  city,  which 
remind  the  traveller  of  Holland's  waterways.  At  even- 
tide, during  the  summer  months,  hundreds  of  pleasure- 
boats  lazily  drift  up  and  down  the  river  freighted  with 
gay  parties  bent  on  pleasure,  or  in  quest  of  the  cooling 
breezes  which  sweep  down  the  mountain-sides.  With 
music,  merry  shouts  of  laughter,  and  brilliant  fireworks 
during  the  evening  hours,  the  Yodogawa  becomes  a  con- 
spicuous rival  to  the  Grand  Canal  of  the  Queen  of  the 
Adriatic. 

Besides  its  commercial  side,  Osaka  possesses  an  inter- 
esting history  and  several  landmarks  which  add  greatly 
to  the  pleasure  of  the  traveller.  Nowhere  in  the  empire 
was  a  more  majestic  castle  or  sumptuous  palace  built  than 
on  the  great  hill  overlooking  the  valley  and  city.  It 
was  in  1583  a.  d.  that  Hideyoshi  began  this  stupendous 
pile,  the  remains  of  which  fill  with  admiration  the  visitor 
of  to-day.  Thousands  of  laborers  were  drawn  from  all 
parts  of  the  country  and  the  work  was  completed  in  the 
marvellous  space  of  two  years.     During  the   Revolution 

[333] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

of  1868  the  forces  of  the  shogun  set  fire  to  all  the  wooden 
structures  within  the  fortress,  hence  to-day  nothing  is 
left  but  the  Cyclopean  walls  and  moats.  The  visitor  who 
gazes  upon  those  massive  granite  bowlders,  some  of  which 
are  forty  feet  long  by  ten  wide,  will  wonder  how  this 
race  of  Lilliputs  ever  raised  them  to  the  summit  of  the 
hill  and  placed  them  in  the  wall. 

It  was  in  1615  a.d.  that  Ieyasu  besieged  the  castle  then 
occupied  by  Hideyori,  the  son  of  the  great  Tycoon,  upon 
whose  deathbed,  Ieyasu  swore  to  place  him  upon  the 
shogun  throne.  Fearing  that  he  would  be  unable  to  found 
the  Tokugawa  dynasty,  should  Hideyori  become  shogun, 
Ieyasu  declared  that  he  was  plotting  against  the  peace 
of  the  State  and  marched  against  the  town  and  castle. 
The  bodies  of  Hideyori  and  his  mother  were  never  found 
after  the  battle  which  terminated  in  favor  of  Ieyasu, 
it  being  supposed  that  they  were  reduced  to  ashes  during 
the  conflagration  which  followed. 

Among  the  other  attractions  of  the  city  are  the  National 
Mint,  the  Higashi  and  Nigishi  Hongwanji,  and  the  an- 
cient temple  of  Tennoji  which  was  founded  in  600  a.  d. 
by  the  great  Shotoku  Taishi,  the  first  patron  of  Buddhism 
in  Japan.  This  famous  temple  is  well  worthy  of  a  visit 
and  possesses  several  features  not  commonly  found  in  the 
other  holy  sanctuaries  of  the  empire.  Opposite  the 
shrine  dedicated  to  the  patron  saint  stands  the  great 
bell  which  is  only  rung  at  the  death  of  a  celebrant,  so  as 
to  call  the  attention  of  the  Prince-Saint  who  is  supposed 
to  conduct  the  soul  into  paradise.  This  enormous  bell 
weighs  155  tons  and  is  said  to  be  the  largest  in  the 
world.  It  is  sixteen  feet  long,  twenty-five  feet  in  circum- 
ference and  eight  feet  wide  at  its  mouth. 

Not  far  away  stands  a  building  which  contains  a  curi- 
ous stone  chamber  into  which  water  continually  streams 
through  the  mouth  of  a  tortoise.  Often  during  the  day, 
weeping  mothers  may  be  seen  passing  into  this  sacred 
stream  the  names  of  their  departed  babes,  with  a  prayer 

[334] 


NARA,  ANCIENT  CAPITAL 

to  the  Great  Saint  to  meet  their  souls  upon  the  long 
and  lonesome  road  of  death.  Within  the  Golden  Hall  is 
seen  a  shrine  to  Kwannon  which  contains  the  first 
Buddhist  image  brought  from  Korea  to  Japan,  although 
the  priests  in  the  ancient  temple  of  Zenkoji  at  Nagano 
claim  priority  in  this  line  and  inform  the  tourist  that 
the  triple  image  of  Amida  and  his  two  followers  reached 
Japan  in  552  a.  d.,  a  full  half  century  before  Tenno ji  's 
famous  Kwannon  arrived. 

"My  friends,"  said  the  Major,  after  we  had  disposed  of 
a  satisfying  dinner  and  were  enjoying  our  evening  smoke, 
"  I  am  positively  depressed  from  brain-fag,  and  if  com- 
pelled to  visit  another  temple  I  am  sure  I  shall  become  a 
confirmed  neurasthenic. ' ' 

"I,  too,  am  suffering  from  the  strain  of  endless  trips 
to  holy  shrines  and  temple  grounds,"  replied  the  Judge, 
"and  can  deeply  sympathize  with  the  patient  traveller 
who  is  forced  by  aesthetic  companions  to  gaze  upon  the 
thousands  of  yards  of  three-starred  saints,  madonnas,  and 
holy  families  in  the  cathedral  towns  of  sunny  Italy." 

"We  are  here  for  pleasure  as  well  as  business,"  added 
the  Major,  "and  I  suggest  that  we  spend  our  last  night 
in  Osaka  in  visiting  the  Coney  Island  of  the  town. ' ' 

A  few  minutes  later  we  had  engaged  rickshas  and  were 
bowling  rapidly  towards  the  Dotombori  Canal,  along 
whose  sides  lie  the  theatres,  variety  shows,  and  gay  res- 
taurants of  the  city.  The  streets  were  brilliantly  lighted 
and  crowded  with  a  motley  but  good-natured  throng,  among 
whom  appeared  conspicuously  a  goodly  number  of  the 
tourist  world.  Before  the  most  pretentious  theatres  brass 
bands  were  blaring  forth  in  discordant  tones  "Yankee 
Doodle,"  "A  Hot  Time  in  the  Old  Town"  and  similar 
American  airs,  which  no  doubt  had  the  same  effect  in 
drawing  crowds  as  did  the  hoochi-koochi  tunes  on  the  Mid- 
way in  Chicago  during  the  World's  Fair  of  1893.  Gestic- 
ulating touters,  before  the  smaller  booths,  were  descanting 
on  the  marvels  of  their  shows  to  the  merry,  gaping  rabble 

[335  1 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

passing  by.  While  the  shows  were  in  progress  the  restau- 
rants and  food-stands  were  filled  with  men,  women,  and 
children  who,  no  doubt,  had  come  to  Dotombori  to  have  a 
good  old-fashioned  time.  The  Japanese  beat  America  far 
and  away  on  the  temperance  question,  although  they  have 
never  suffered  from  the  canteen  agitation  which  since  1901 
has  become  a  qucestio  vexata  before  the  American  public. 
For  amidst  that  surging  mass  of  commonalty  not  the  slight- 
est sign  of  intoxication  was  in  evidence,  although  all  the 
shops  sold  sake  and  lager  beer.  Before  returning  to  the 
hotel  that  night,  we  visited  many  of  the  amusement  places 
of  the  district,  and  found  order,  good  humor,  and  ton 
camaraderie  everywhere. 


[336] 


CHAPTER  XXXII 

THE     SHINTO     RELIGION  —  ARRIVAL     OF     THE 
CHRISTIAN  MISSIONARIES 

From  Osaka  to  Kobe  —  Native  Beef  and  Sake  —  The 
Shinto  Religion  —  Its  Gods  and  Fetichism  —  Ances- 
tor Worship  on  Kudan  Hill  —  Togo's  Speech  to  the 
Spirits  op  His  Dead  Sailors  —  Teachings  of  Shinto- 
ism  —  Early  Roman  Church  in  Japan  —  The  Advent 
of  Protestantism  —  Doctors  Hepburn,  Brown,  and 
Verbeck  —  The  Work  of  Missionaries  in  the  Orient 
—  Statistics  of  Christianity  in  Japan  —  Altruism 
of  American  Missionaries  in  the  Orient  and  Far 
East. 

ALONG  the  crescentic  shores  of  Osaka  Bay,  not  more 
than  twenty  short  miles  from  the  great  metropolis 
itself,  lies  Kobe,  the  favorite  seaport  town  of  Japan,  and 
the  Eastern  Gateway  to  the  Inland  Sea.  From  Osaka  as 
far  as  Nishi-no-miya  we  traversed  a  broad  and  fertile  plain 
thickly  dotted  with  peaceful  hamlets  and  smiling  fields 
of  golden  rice,  with  here  and  there  a  summer  resort  where 
Ferris  wheel  and  coasting  railway  bespoke  the  Coney  Is- 
land of  modern  Nippon.  From  this  point  until  the  train 
reaches  San-no-miya,  the  station  for  the  foreign  settle- 
ment, the  plain  narrows  down  to  a  mere  strip  along  the 
sea  coast. 

The  journey  from  Osaka  to  Kobe,  if  made  during  the 

late  afternoon  hour,  is  pleasing  in  the  extreme.     To  the 

north  lie  the  majestic  hills  high  above  the  city,  bathed  in  a 

purplish  haze  from  the  setting  sun,  while  to  the  south 

22  [  337  ] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

stretch  the  iridescent  waters  of  the  bay  as  far  west  as  the 
picturesque  and  pine-clad  shores  of  Awaji,  which  forms 
with  the  mainland,  the  eastern  entrance  to  the  Inland  Sea. 

"Kobe,"  said  the  Major,  as  we  sat  smoking  our  after- 
dinner  cigars  in  the  lobby  of  the  Grand,  ' '  is  par  excellence, 
the  commercial  metropolis  of  the  empire,  for  it  exceeds  in 
exports  and  imports  every  other  city  in  Japan." 

"Besides,"  added  the  Judge,  "it  is  the  principal  mart 
for  two  very  important  native  products,  beef  and  sake." 

"That  is  true,"  replied  the  Major,  "for  practically  all 
the  beef  raised  in  Japan  comes  from  the  northwest  Prov- 
ince of  Tajima,  and  every  connoisseur  of  the  national  bev- 
erage knows  that  the  very  best  sake  comes  from  Nada,  two 
miles  east  of  Kobe,  on  the  plain  this  side  of  Osaka.  Sake 
is  to  the  Japanese  what  beer  is  to  the  German,  wine  to  the 
Italian,  and  pulque  to  the  Mexican ;  light,  stimulating  and 
fairly  agreeable  if  warmed.  It  is  made  from  rice  and  con- 
tains a  smaller  percentage  of  alcohol  than  sherry  wine 
which  it  resembles  in  odor  and  flavor." 

"Pardon  me,  Judge,  but  you  remember  the  promised 
discourse  on  the  two  national  religions  of  Japan,  made 
on  our  departure  from  Nara.  The  day  is  too  far  spent 
to  become  better  acquainted  with  Kobe,  and  if  agreeable 
to  the  Major,  I  would  suggest  that  you  favor  us  this 
evening. ' ' 

"By  all  means,  Judge,"  said  the  Major;  "let  us  have 
the  story  at  once." 

"I  believe  you  will  agree  with  me,  my  friends,"  said 
the  Judge,  "that  we  have  devoted  more  time  to  temples, 
since  our  arrival  in  Japan,  than  to  all  of  the  other  points 
of  interest  combined.  And  this  is  only  natural  because  the 
thousands  of  temples  and  shrines  which  greet  the  eye  at 
every  turn  represent  the  history  and  development  of  the 
country  from  its  earliest  dawn. 

"When  Japan  awoke  from  her  prehistoric  slumber  in 
660  B.C.,  she  found  Shintoism  enthroned  as  the  national 
religion.    Not  the  political  cult  which  it  became  a  thou- 

[338] 


THE   SHINTO  RELIGION 

sand  years  later  when  the  Mikados  and  divine  warriors  be- 
came the  prominent  gods  in  its  pantheon,  nor  yet  a  thou- 
sand years  later  still  after  the  subtle  and  refining  influences 
of  Confucius  and  Buddha  had  wrought  so  many  changes 
in  that  simple  faith. 

"In  those  primeval  days,  before  the  conquest  of  the 
primitive  tribes  by  the  Great  Jimmu,  Shintoism  was  the 
worship  of  nature,  in  which  every  mountain,  stream,  and 
wooded  copse  possessed  a  tutelary  god.  There  were  gods 
to  the  winds  and  storms,  to  fires,  pestilences  and  floods,  to 
earthquakes  and  famine,  and  indeed  to  the  very  pot  in 
which  they  boiled  the  wild-boar  slain  with  their  rude  spear 
of  stone. 

"Each  of  these  gods,  great  or  small,  had  to  be  appeased 
by  prayer  and  peace  offerings  through  their  intermediaries, 
whether  it  was  the  bear  of  the  north,  the  fox  of  the  south, 
or  the  militant  badger,  who  were  believed  to  be  able  at 
times  to  assume  the  human  form.  They  had  the  power  to 
bless  the  votaries  of  their  gods,  to  predict  the  future,  pro- 
duce good  crops,  remove  pestilences  and  famine,  control 
storms,  abate  conflagrations,  and  restore  peace. 

"Shamanism  and  Shintoism  went  hand  in  hand  in  those 
ancient  times  and  even  to-day,  it  is  said,  that  rarely  can 
you  meet  a  Japanese  farmer,  mechanic,  or  member  of  any 
trade,  who  does  not  wear  or  carry  an  amulet  or  charm  which 
he  regards  with  the  greatest  reverence  and  superstition. 
So  far  indeed  does  fetichism  extend  in  the  Land  of  the  Ris- 
ing Sun,  that  it  is  rare  to  find  a  native  house  to-day,  un- 
protected against  fire,  lightning,  earthquake,  or  plague,  by 
the  fetich  insurance  policy  of  some  Shinto  priest. 

"When  the  Divine  Warriors  conquered  Japan  they  ab- 
sorbed the  primitive  faith  of  the  natives  and  elevated  the 
Mikado  to  the  heart  of  Shintoism.  Jimmu 's  generals  be- 
came founders  of  temples  and  later  were  worshipped  as 
gods,  and  thus  the  ancient  Kai-no-michi  of  the  simple  is- 
landers became  the  political  religion  of  Shintoism  or  the 
'Way  of  the  Gods.'    The  Yamato  men  added  their  own 

[  339  ] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

stock  of  fetich  to  the  original  creed  and  claimed  the  Mikado 
as  representative  and  vice-regent  of  heaven  and  superior 
to  all  the  earthly  gods. 

"It  was  at  this  period  of  its  history  that  ancestor  wor- 
ship became  a  prominent  feature  of  Shintoism,  now  a 
national  ceremony  during  the  semi-annual  festivals  held 
at  the  Kudan  Shrine  in  Tokio.  It  was  for  this  reason  that 
the  great  Togo,  blood-stained  and  begrimed  from  the  de- 
struction of  Rodjestvensky 's  fleet  in  the  Sea  of  Japan, 
hastened  first  to  the  Sacred  Shrine  at  Ise  to  worship  the 
ancestors  of  his  majesty,  the  Emperor,  and  the  spirits  of 
Japan's  illustrious  dead  before  reporting  in  Tokio. 

"Could  any  one  present  ever  forget  the  weird  scene  en- 
acted on  that  cloudless  morning  in  October  on  the  green 
hills  of  Yedo  by  the  great  Admiral  in  honor  of  his  dead? 
There  before  the  simple  pine  altar  draped  in  cotton  cloth 
of  spotless  white,  with  the  few  modest  symbols  of  the  Shinto 
faith,  and  surrounded  by  the  mourners  of  the  combined 
fleet,  he  spake  to  the  souls  of  the  dead  sailors  as  follows: 
'The  clouds  of  war  have  disappeared  from  sea  and  shore 
and  the  whole  city,  with  peaceful,  placid  hearts  like  that 
of  a  child  goes  out  to  meet  the  men  who  shared  life  and 
death  with  you  and  who  now  return  triumphant  under 
the  Imperial  standard,  while  their  families  wait  for  them 
at  the  gates  of  their  homes.  Looking  back  we  recall  how, 
braving  the  bitter  cold  and  enduring  the  fierce  heat,  you 
fought  again  and  again  with  our  strong  foe,  and  while  the 
issue  of  the  contest  was  still  uncertain  you  went  before  us 
to  the  grave,  leaving  us  to  envy  the  glory  you  had  won  by 
your  loyal  deaths.  We  longed  to  imitate  you  in  paying 
the  debt  we  owe  to  sovereign  and  country.  Your  valiant 
and  vehement  fighting  always  achieved  success.  In  no 
combat  did  you  fail  to  conquer.  Throughout  ten  months 
the  attack  on  Port  Arthur  continued,  and  the  position  was 
determined.  In  the  Sea  of  Japan  a  single  annihilating 
effort  decided  the  issue.  Thenceforth  the  enemy's  shadow 
disappeared   from  the   face   of   the   ocean.     This   success 

[340] 


THE   SHINTO  RELIGION 

had  its  origin  in  the  infinite  virtues  of  the  Emperor,  but 
it  could  not  have  been  achieved  had  not  you,  forgetting 
yourselves,  sacrificed  your  lives  in  the  public  service.  The 
war  is  over.  We  who  return  in  triumph  see  signs  of  joy 
everywhere.  But  we  remember  that  we  cannot  share  it 
with  you  and  mingled  feelings  of  sadness  and  rejoicing 
struggle  painfully  for  expression.  But  the  triumph  of  to- 
day has  been  purchased  by  your  glorious  death  and  your 
loyalty  and  valor  will  long  inspire  our  navy,  guarding  the 
Imperial  land  for  all  time.  We  here  perform  this  rite 
of  worship  to  your  spirits,  and  speaking  something  of  our 
sad  thoughts,  pray  you  to  come  and  receive  the  offering 
we  make.' 

"On  the  completion  of  this  address  the  admiral  laid 
the  Sakaki  on  the  altar,  which  consisted  of  a  branch  of  the 
Cleyera  Japanica  tied  with  white  paper. 

"Tribute  to  the  nation's  honored  dead  and  adulation 
of  their  virtues  call  forth  the  highest  emotions  of  patriot- 
ism and  arouse  a  desire  for  emulation  among  the  country's 
youth.  The  ancestor  worship  of  the  Shinto  faith  is  a  beau- 
tiful feature  of  their  religion,  one  well  worthy  of  imitation 
among  Western  nations  whose  gods  have  become  money- 
bags and  heroes,  manipulators  of  merciless  trusts  and  mo- 
nopolizing corporations. 

"It  is  indeed  inspiring  to  see  the  lowly  peasant  toiling 
over  mountain,  vale,  and  plain  to  reach  the  holy  shrines 
of  Ise  or  Izumo,  where  he  can  pour  out  his  pent-up  feel- 
ings of  love  and  patriotic  sentiment  in  honor  of  the  illus- 
trious dead,  who  through  sacrifice  and  heroic  deed,  have 
made  his  country  and  fireside  realities. 

"The  tenets  of  Shintoism  are  few  and  the  ceremonial 
and  ritual  very  simple.  The  faithful  are  enjoined  to  obey 
the  commands  of  the  Mikado,  worship  the  spirits  of  the 
illustrious  dead,  and  follow  their  natural  impulses.  But 
this  is  not  all,  because  the  ideal  of  the  cult  is  to  cultivate 
cleanliness  and  purity  in  personal  and  household  arrange- 
ments, to  Hve  simply  and  honestly  and  to  observe  the  pre- 

[341] 


ON  LEAVE   IN  JAPAN 

cepts  of  the  Golden  Rule,  which  makes  it  an  acceptable 
faith  after  all. 

"Great  stress  was  placed  on  absolute  cleanliness  by  the 
ancient  devotees  of  the  cult,  pollution  was  considered  a 
calamity  and  defilement  a  sin.  Anything  that  could  defile 
the  body  was  looked  upon  with  abhorrence  and  detestation, 
while  physical  purity  was  holiness. 

"Disease  and  wounds  were  considered  especially  defil- 
ing, while  births  and  deaths  were  regarded  as  beyond  the 
pale  to  such  an  extent  that  expectant  mothers  and  the  dy- 
ing were  transferred  to  special  huts  which  were  subse- 
quently burned.  The  priests  were  required  to  undergo 
careful  ablutions  and  to  attire  themselves  in  spotless 
garments  before  making  the  sacred  offerings  or  chanting 
the  liturgies.  Purification  by  means  of  water  and  common 
salt  was  a  part  of  the  ceremonial,  which  accounts  for  the 
presence  of  the  temple  well. 

"The  guild  of  the  priesthood  during  the  early  history 
of  Shintoism  was  appointed  from  special  holy  families  and 
frequently  from  the  nobles  and  relatives  of  the  Mikado. 
The  priestly  garb  consisted  of  a  long,  loose  gown,  with 
wide  sleeves  and  a  girdle  at  the  waist,  which  was  only  worn 
during  the  morning  and  evening  service.  During  the  day 
they  dressed  like  other  men  and  were  permitted  to  marry 
and  carry  on  any  business  or  occupation  they  desired. 

"While  this  curious  and  ancient  religion  has  no  sacred 
book  and  does  not  recognize  heaven  or  hell,  there  is  by 
implication  immortality  of  the  soul  and  a  heaven  of  some 
neutral  tint  where  the  spirits  of  the  dead  are  supposed  to 
abide.  This  condition  was  emphasized  in  ancient  times 
by  the  burial  of  the  retainers  and  members  of  the  house- 
hold with  the  lord  and  master  in  order  that  he  might  have 
companions  down  the  long  and  lonesome  road  of  death, 
as  well  as  to-day  on  Kudan  Hill,  where  the  spirits  of  the 
departed  heroes  are  called  during  the  semi-annual  national 
festivity  given  in  their  honor. 

"Every  Japanese  who  offers  up  his  life  through  noble 
[342] 


THE   SHINTO  RELIGION 

or  patriotic  motives  becomes  a  god  and  is  enrolled  among 
the  deified  protectors  of  the  realm.  It  is  partly  through 
this  belief  that  the  soldiers  and  sailors  so  freely  offer  up 
their  lives  in  defence  of  country.  The  deified  heroes  oc- 
cupy many  ranks  and  grades,  the  spirits  of  the  Mikados 
naturally  occupying  the  highest  spheres.  Hachiman,  the 
son  of  Empress  Suiko,  whose  birth  was  unnatural  and  di- 
vine, having  been  carried  three  years  in  his  mother's 
womb,  as  the  God  of  War  stands  in  the  loftiest  cadre  of 
them  all. 

"The  Shinto  ceremonial  is  very  simple  and  the  temple 
plain  and  unfurnished.  Besides  the  polished  steel  mirror, 
the  gohei  or  white  paper  strips,  and  the  straw  rope  which 
envelopes  the  temple,  the  place  is  bare.  The  mirror  is  in- 
tended to  reflect  the  impurities  of  the  soul,  the  paper  strips, 
gifts  to  the  gods,  and  the  straw  rope  to  exclude  evil 
spirits. 

"In  front  of  the  temple  stands  the  iorii,  originally  in- 
tended as  a  perch  for  the  chanticleer  which  announced 
the  break  of  day  and  the  hour  for  prayer.  Sometimes 
at  eventide  may  be  seen  a  number  of  priests  in  green  vest- 
ments sitting  on  a  dais  playing  strange  musical  instru- 
ments, while  below  stand  the  worshipful  celebrants,  clap- 
ping their  hands  to  call  the  attention  of  the  gods  to  their 
simple  prayers  and  offering  a  few  sen  to  appease  their 
anger. 

"Shintoism,  it  is  said,  has  no  moral  teaching  except  the 
inculcation  of  patriotism.  Motoori,  one  of  the  greatest 
disciples  of  the  cult  in  the  seventeenth  century,  stated 
that  morals  were  invented  by  the  Chinese  because  they 
were  an  immoral  people,  but  in  'Japan  there  was  no  neces- 
sity for  any  system  of  morals,  since  every  Japanese  acted 
properly  by  following  his  honest  impulses. 

"Besides  the  orthodox  worship  of  the  pure  Shinto  cult 
there  are  many  superstitious  ceremonies  performed  by  the 
ignorant  classes,  and  it  is  not  infrequent  that  one  sees 
women  rolling  well  masticated  paper  into  balls  and  throw- 

[343] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

ing  them  at  the  temple  gods  with  a  prayer,  believing  that 
if  they  stick  their  desire  will  be  granted.  In  a  few  of  the 
older  temples  the  ceremony  of  the  Kagura  dance  is  per- 
formed by  young  girls  who  go  through  a  variety  of  panto- 
mimic posing  and  movements.  During  the  service  small 
trays  with  rice,  sake,  fish,  fruits,  and  other  foods  are  placed 
on  the  altar  to  appease  the  gods. 

"Singular  as  it  may  appear,  Shintoism,  the  native  re- 
ligion, practically  became  obliterated  during  the  thousand 
years  which  elapsed  from  the  introduction  of  Buddhism 
and  Confucianism,  with  which  it  had  become  amalgamated 
as  Rijobu  Buddhism.  After  the  Revolution  of  1868,  and 
with  the  national  growth  and  patriotism,  a  demand  was 
again  made  by  the  great  progressive  party  of  the  people  for 
the  reestablishment  of  the  ancient  native  faith,  and  the 
rehabilitation  of  the  Shinto  shrine. 

"This  is  believed,  however,  to  have  been  a  purely  patri- 
otic movement,  because  the  moral  code  of  Confucius  and 
refining  influences  of  Buddhism  have,  in  a  large  measure, 
been  succeeded  by  the  Western  cult  of  aesthetic  agnosticism 
and  materialistic  philosophy  among  a  large  majority  of 
the  educated  classes. 

"And  now,  gentlemen,"  said  the  Judge,  after  lighting 
a  fresh  cigar,  "I  intend  to  conclude  my  discourse  to-night 
with  a  very  brief  account  of  Christianity  in  Japan,  for  it 
is  too  late  to  discuss  Buddhism.  This  interesting  subject 
we  will  postpone  until  to-morrow  evening  if  agreeable. 

"You  will  remember  that  in  a  previous  conversation  in 
regard  to  the  early  establishment  of  the  Roman  Catholic 
Church  in  Japan  and  the  terrible  consequences  which  fol- 
lowed its  eradication,  I  mentioned  that  Francis  Xavier 
was  enticed  to  the  Land  of  the  Rising  Sun  through  the 
glowing  accounts  of  a  native  named  Anjiro  who  had  been 
educated  at  the  Jesuit  College  of  Goa.  Although  the  great 
Jesuit  evangelist  remained  less  than  two  years  in  Japan, 
he  succeeded  in  planting  missions  which  secured  300,000 
converts  during  the  succeeding  thirty  years. 

[344] 


THE   SHINTO  RELIGION 

"The  holy  fathers  first  directed  their  attention  to  the 
daimios  and  leading  men,  through  whom  they  were  enabled 
to  reach  with  great  certainty  the  rank  and  file.  So  much 
power  were  the  rulers  able  to  exert  over  the  peasantry 
that  these  were  driven  from  their  ancestral  homes  by  thou- 
sands unless  they  accepted  the  cross  of  Christ.  It  was 
through  such  drastic  and  coercive  measures  that  entire 
fiefs,  consisting  in  some  instances  of  20,000  souls,  changed 
their  religion  in  a  single  day. 

"While  these  wide-spread  conversions  were  in  progress 
the  Buddhist  priests  were  driven  from  the  communities, 
their  temples  enveloped  in  flames,  and  the  magnificent  im- 
ages and  works  of  art  hacked  to  pieces.  Unfortunately 
the  Catholic  invasion  of  Japan  at  this  time  was  a  political 
movement  and  was  encouraged  by  the  Kings  of  Portugal 
and  Spain  with  the  hope  of  acquiring  territory,  by  the 
Pope  in  order  to  augment  the  Church,  and  by  the  daimios  to 
gain  foreign  trade. 

"Both  Nobunaga  and  Hideyoshi,  who  lived  at  that  time, 
befriended  the  Catholic  Church,  partly  because  they  hated 
the  Buddhist  priests  and  partly  because  they  feared  their 
rebellious  spirit  and  militant  strength.  It  was  some  time 
after  1587  that  one  of  the  influential  court  physicians 
informed  Hideyoshi  that  the  holy  fathers  were  directing 
every  effort  in  their  power  to  the  conversion  of  the  nobles 
in  order  to  secure  for  themselves  political  power.  Hide- 
yoshi, it  is  said,  laughed  at  this  reasoning,  until  he  visited 
Kyushu,  where  he  found  the  entire  country  had  become 
Romanized. 

"The  great  successes  of  the  Portuguese  traders  and 
priests  in  Japan  began  to  excite  the  jealousy  of  the  Span- 
ish traders  and  monastic  orders,  in  spite  of  the  fact  that 
the  Pope  had  declared  Japan  entirely  Portuguese  territory 
for  trade  and  the  Cross.  About  1590  the  San  Felipe,  a 
Spanish  galleon  from  Manila,  with  a  rich  cargo  and  a 
number  of  Augustinian  friars,  was  stranded  on  the  coast 
of  Japan  and  the  captain,  in  order  to  overawe  the  local 

[345] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

authorities  presented  a  map  of  the  world,  showing  the  tre- 
mendous possessions  of  Spain  and  her  great  power. 

' '  '  How  did  Spain  acquire  these  vast  possessions  ?  '  asked 
the  unsuspecting  son  of  Nippon. 

"  'By  first  sending  priests  to  induce  the  people  to  become 
Christians,  after  which  the  task  became  easy,'  replied  the 
captain. 

"Little  did  the  indiscreet  sailing-master  realize  the  boom- 
erang he  had  cast,  for  the  conversation,  which  was  repeated 
to  Hideyoshi,  infuriated  him  to  such  an  extent  that  he 
immediately  ordered  the  Augustinian  friars,  together  with 
three  Japanese  Jesuit  priests  and  several  native  converts, 
to  Nagasaki  where  they  were  crucified  on  the  cliffs  of 
Pappenberg  overlooking  the  harbor. 

' '  Owing  to  civil  wars,  which  engaged  the  attention  of  the 
shogun  from  1592  until  1598,  further  inimical  action  was 
suspended  and  in  fact  little  was  done  until  Ieyasu  issued 
his  fearful  edict  of  1614  which  finally  resulted  in  the  san- 
guinary wars  on  the  island  of  Kyushu,  during  which  all 
of  the  Jesuit  fathers  were  banished  and  tens  of  thousands 
of  the  native  converts  killed.  The  Japanese  government 
emerged  successful  from  this  frightful  conflict,  but  only 
through  sealing  the  country  to  the  world  for  two  and  a 
half  long  centuries  of  dreary  isolation. 

"In  spite  of  their  terrible  experiences  the  emissaries  of 
the  Catholic  Church  were  the  first  representatives  of 
Christianity  to  enter  Japan  after  the  treaties  resulting 
from  Commodore  Perry's  visit  in  1853-54.  They  arrived 
in  1858  and  were  promptly  followed  by  Protestant  min- 
isters of  the  Presbyterian,  Dutch  Reformed,  and  Episcopal 
Churches  in  1859  and  the  Baptist  in  1860. 

"Among  the  most  notable  of  these  leaders  of  the  ad- 
vance-guard was  Doctor  J.  C.  Hepburn  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church,  who  will  ever  be  held  in  sacred  memory  by  the 
Japanese  people  on  account  of  his  noble  and  gentle  nature 
and  the  altruistic  character  of  his  work.     A  physician  by 

[346] 


THE   SHINTO  RELIGION 

training,  he  spared  no  effort  to  save  life  and  pain  among 
the  thousands  needing  medical  care. 

"  There  were  also  Doctors  S.  R.  Brown  and  G.  F.  Ver- 
beck, both  of  whom  have  left  indelible  traces  upon  the 
shores  of  distant  Nippon.  Dr.  Brown  became  a  wonder- 
ful factor  in  educational  work  in  Yokohama  and  left  among 
his  students  many  of  the  ablest  Christian  ministers  and 
prominent  officials  of  the  empire. 

"  Doctor  Verbeck  gained  a  high  place  as  an  instructor 
in  an  institution  which  subsequently  became  the  Univer- 
sity of  Japan.  He  became  the  trusted  adviser  of  some  of 
the  highest  officials  of  the  new  government  who  needed 
the  wise  counsels  of  this  great  missionary  leader.  To  Doc- 
tor Verbeck  belongs  the  distinction  of  being  the  only  for- 
eign teacher  upon  whom  a  decoration  was  conferred  by 
the  emperor. 

"In  1873  Doctor  Nathan  Brown  arrived  in  Japan,  a  dis- 
tinguished minister  and  scholar  of  the  Baptist  Church  who 
had  served  almost  a  quarter  of  a  century  as  a  missionary 
in  India.  Although  sixty-five  years  old  and  broken  down 
in  health  through  his  long  residence  in  malarial  Assam, 
this  wonderful  old  soldier  of  the  Cross  again  buckled  on  his 
armor  and  responded  to  the  'call  of  the  East.'  While  but 
a  student  at  "Williams  College,  where  he  graduated  in  1827, 
he  wrote  that  exquisite  poem  entitled  'The  Missionary's 
Call.' 

" '  My  soul  is  not  at  rest.    There  comes  a  strange 
And  secret  whisper  to  my  spirit,  like 
A  dream  of  night,  that  tells  me  I  am  on 
Enchanted  ground.    Why  live  I  here?    The  vows 
Of  God  are  on  me  and  I  may  not  stop 
To  play  with  shadows,  or  pluck  earthly  flowers, 
Till  I  my  work  have  done  and  rendered  up 
Account.     The  voice  of  my  departed  Lord, 
Go,  teach  all  nations,  from  the  eastern  world 
Comes  on  the  night  air,  and  awakes  my  soul.' 
[347] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

"During  his  residence  in  India  he  translated  the  New 
Testament  and  many  books,  tracts,  and  hymns  into  the 
Assamese  language,  besides  attending  to  his  active  minis- 
terial labors.  After  a  residence  of  but  three  years  in  Ja- 
pan he  succeeded  in  acquiring  the  language  and  translating 
the  New  Testament  into  Japanese,  besides  a  number  of 
hymns,  all  of  which  were  printed  in  a  press  of  his  own 
establishment.  Dr.  Brown  was  a  scholar  of  rare  literary 
ability  and  no  doubt  would  have  left  a  great  name  in  the 
field  of  letters  had  he  devoted  his  life  to  that  calling. 
Crowned  with  years  and  honors  this  consecrated  Christian 
warrior  died  at  his  post  of  duty,  in  Yokohama,  January 
1,  1886. 

"As  a  result  of  the  two  long  centuries  of  persecutions 
to  which  the  Catholics  were  subjected  before  the  arrival 
of  Commodore  Perry  in  1853,  the  sentiment  against  the 
Christian  religion  in  Japan  had  arisen  to  a  condition  of 
intense  hatred  and  most  naturally  the  first  Protestant 
missionaries  were  regarded  as  spies  sent  to  prepare  the 
way  for  the  subjugation  of  the  country  by  the  nations  they 
represented.  It  required  considerable  time  before  even 
the  intelligent  classes  learned  that  Protestant  Christianity 
was  non-political  and  hence  not  a  menace  to  their 
government. 

"When  the  treaty  was  made  between  Japan  and  the 
other  nations  clauses  were  inserted  authorizing  freedom 
of  religious  worship  and  the  abrogation  of  the  trampling- 
board,  which  was  still  in  force  and  so  objectionable  to 
Christian  sentiment.  It  will  be  remembered  that  the  Jap- 
anese officials  until  the  Treaty,  required  every  one,  with 
the  oath  of  abjuration,  to  trample  on  the  crucifix  which 
was  stamped  on  a  copper  plate  arranged  for  the  purpose. 

"For  a  long  period  after  the  initiation  of  the  new 
regime  the  missionaries  found  it  unsafe  to  leave  the  envi- 
ronment of  the  free  ports  on  account  of  the  intense  feeling 
against  the  reintroduction  of  Christianity,  especially  in 
the  rural  districts  where  considerable  opposition  exists  to- 
ll 348  ] 


THE   SHINTO  RELIGION 

day.  Conditions  have  greatly  changed  since  then 
among  the  Japanese  and  with  them  a  difference  in  the 
sentiment  of  the  people  regarding  the  missionaries,  who  as 
a  rule  are  now  beloved,  revered,  and  respected. 

"The  Japanese  should  not  only  glorify  the  early  mis- 
sionaries with  reverence  and  affection,  but  the  entire  na- 
tion should  feel  indebted  for  the  uplift  imparted  by  that 
consecrated  band  of  men  and  women  who  braved  the  dan- 
gers of  the  long  voyage,  the  acute  revolutionary  perils  of 
the  day,  and  personal  sacrifices  sustained  in  leaving  coun- 
try, home,  and  friends. 

"While  these  soldiers  of  the  Cross  have  not  accomplished 
a  complete  success  in  turning  the  nation  to  Christianity, 
no  one  who  intelligently  studies  the  Japan  of  to-day  will 
remain  unmindful  of  the  magnificent  results  which  have 
been  accomplished  along  the  lines  of  education,  philan- 
thropy, and  morality.  Many  of  the  private  schools  and 
colleges,  medical  clinics  and  dispensaries,  hospitals  and 
asylums,  directly  or  indirectly  owe  their  existence  to  the 
altruism  of  the  missionaries,  not  only  in  Japan,  but  over 
the  entire  Orient.  Besides  the  great  blessings  resulting 
from  their  hundreds  of  educational  and  benevolent  insti- 
tutions, they  have  been  the  agents  for  inculcating  the  high 
ideals  of  Christian  morality  and  advanced  enlightenment 
along  the  lines  of  the  economics  of  every-day  life. 

• '  The  great  change  in  the  status  of  womankind  in  Japan, 
China,  Korea,  India,  Turkey,  and  Persia  may  be  almost 
directly  ascribed  to  the  influence  of  the  missionaries  from 
America,  England,  and  other  Christian  Protestant  coun- 
tries. It  is  a  great  pleasure  to  note  the  aspirations  of  the 
downtrodden  sisterhood  in  the  Orient  at  this  time  and  the 
difference  between  their  present  and  previous  status  of 
servant,  slave,  or  concubine. 

"The  introduction  of  illuminating  oils,  sewing  machines, 
agricultural  and  manufacturing  implements,  and  many  ar- 
ticles of  commerce  never  before  called  for  in  the  Oriental 
trade  of  our  merchants,  attest  the  widely  civilizing  influ- 

[349] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

ences  of  the  missionary  bands  which  have  permeated  every 
nook  and  cranny  of  the  Orient  and  Far  East. 

"While  there  is  no  way  of  estimating  the  valuable  work 
which  they  have  accomplished  for  the  good  of  the  world 
at  large  every  unprejudiced  mind  should  realize  that  their 
every-day  life  and  example  must  have  been  an  inspiration 
to  the  untutored  minds  of  these  less  favored  countries. 
The  American  missionaries  especially  carried  greater  influ- 
ence than  those  from  other  nations  for  the  very  reason 
that  the  'Land  of  the  Free  and  Home  of  the  Brave'  stands 
for  so  much  among  the  peoples  of  the  world  in  the  way  of 
progress,  freedom,  liberty,  and  protection.  Christianity 
walks  hand  in  hand  with  the  best  in  everything  that  is 
national,  educational,  political,  and  social,  as  may  be  at- 
tested by  a  review  of  those  nations,  states,  municipalities, 
educational  institutions,  and  societies  where  it  presides. 

"While  the  statistics  are  not  very  clear  on  the  subject 
it  is  definitely  known  that  the  Christian  sects  in  Japan  to- 
day contain  a  congregation  of  over  150,000  souls,  divided 
among  the  various  Protestant  and  Catholic  denominations. 
Besides  these,  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Association  and 
the  Salvation  Army  number  many  thousands  of  members, 
and  are  accomplishing  excellent  results  among  the  young 
men  of  the  country  and  the  commonalty  among  which  the 
latter  finds  its  principal  field. 

"It  is  unfortunate  that  one  must  listen  at  times  to  the 
sneers  and  criticisms  of  some  who  speak  lightly  of  the  mis- 
sionary and  his  work.  These  ill-favored  remarks  made 
no  doubt  in  a  spirit  of  jest,  thoughtlessly  or  through  dense 
ignorance  are  often  directed  to  the  comparative  elegance 
of  their  homes  and  extravagance  of  living  when  compared 
to  that  of  their  flocks.  These  critics  do  not  realize  that 
Americans  and  Europeans  would  imperil  their  lives  by  liv- 
ing in  habitations  and  on  food  to  which  the  Oriental  has 
become  accustomed  through  countless  generations." 


[350] 


CHAPTER  XXXIII 

THE  ARRIVAL  AND  HISTORY  OF  BUDDHISM 

Condition  op  Japan  on  the  Arrival  op  Buddhism  —  De- 
velopment op  the  Country  under  Buddhistic  Influ- 
ences—  Condition  of  the  Philippines  during  this 
Period  —  Birth  and  Early  Life  of  Buddha  —  His 
Mother  —  The  Renunciation  —  His  Life  in  the 
Wilderness  —  Enlightenment  and  Temptation  — 
The  Four  Principles  —  Cardinals  for  the  Guidance 
of  Mankind  —  Monasteries  and  Monks  —  Buddha's 
Moral  Code — Buddhistic  Creation  of  the  World  — 
Transplantation  op  Buddhism  to  Japan  —  Arrival  of 
Confucianism  —  Riyobu,  or  Mixed  Buddhism. 

WHEN  Buddhism,"  said  the  Judge,  in  continuing 
his  discourse  on  the  native  religions,  the  following 
evening,  "drifted  across  seas  from  Korea,  the  Land 
of  the  Morning  Calm,  with  its  rich  argosies  of  learn- 
ing, culture,  and  arts,  it  found  benighted  Japan  struggling 
against  barbarism,  dense  ignorance,  and  internal  dissen- 
sions. Although  there  was  the  semblance  of  a  govern- 
ment, with  headquarters  in  the  Province  of  Yamato,  no 
cohesion  existed  between  it  and  the  unruly  tribes  which 
constituted  the  nascent  nation,  nor  indeed  was  there  any 
permanency  to  the  capital  itself,  which  until  710  a.  d.  was 
migratory  in  character. 

"The  population  of  the  country  was  probably  less  nu- 
merous than  that  of  Mexico  during  the  reign  of  Monte- 
zuma, when  the  early  navigators  from  Spain  first  invaded 
that  primitive  empire  and  found  the  country  and  people 

[351] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

equally  low  in  the  scale  of  national  development  and  civi- 
lization. The  arts  of  reading  and  writing  had  not  reached 
Japan  at  this  time,  hence  its  people  were  submerged  in 
the  densest  ignorance  and  superstition. 

"Agriculture,  which  was  of  the  crudest  nature,  was  lim- 
ited to  the  cultivation  of  a  few  patches  of  rice-lands  here 
and  there  and  manufacture,  to  the  rudest  implements  and 
tools.  Outside  of  a  few  oxen  and  cattle,  domestic  animals 
were  unknown.  There  were  no  hogs,  sheep,  or  goats,  and 
the  horse  was  regarded  as  a  curiosity.  The  most  primitive 
huts  were  used  as  dwellings,  and  save  for  a  few  trails,  roads 
were  unknown. 

"Japan  will  ever  remain  a  debtor  to  the  cult  of  the  gen- 
tle Buddha,  for  it  was  through  his  emissaries  and  disciples 
that  Dai-Nippon  has  become  justly  celebrated  for  its  brave 
and  intelligent  people  and  the  country  for  the  beauty  and 
development  of  its  valleys,  plains,  and  mountain-sides.  It 
was  Buddhism,  reinforced  by  Confucianism,  which  intro- 
duced reading  and  Writing,  the  sheet-anchor  of  all  people's 
uplift  from  savagery.  These  were  followed  in  turn  by  lit- 
erature, art,  dramatic  poetry,  history,  and  folk  lore. 

"Along  with  social  and  intellectual  activity,  followed 
political  organization,  manufacturing,  and  agricultural  de- 
velopments, among  which  may  be  mentioned  the  introduc- 
tion of  oranges,  pottery,  and  the  silk-worm  industry.  Mil- 
itary roads  with  bridges  of  solid  masonry  began  to  per- 
meate the  land,  regularly  laid  out  cities  sprung  up,  and  fine 
houses  and  palaces  took  the  place  of  primitive  huts.  Mis- 
erable shrines  gave  way  to  gilded  temples  with  sweeping 
roof,  recurved  eaves,  many-columned  auditoriums,  and  im- 
posing gateways.  The  plain  torii  made  of  trunks  of  trees 
was  changed  to  hewn  stone  or  polished  wood  and  even 
gilded  with  Sanskrit  monograms  or  tablets  with  Chinese 
letters.  Indeed  no  other  element  has  been  so  potent  in  the 
development  of  the  Japanese  people. 

11  'So  vivifying  was  the  touch  of  the  Aryan  intellect 
as  expressed  by  the  cult  of  Buddha,'  says  Doctor  Griffis, 

[352] 


HISTORY  OF  BUDDHISM 

1  that  a  native  school  of  art  sprang  up  at  once,  and  a  circle 
of  poets  led  by  Utomaro  sang.  Artists  in  the  joy  of 
achievement  made  temple  scenes  of  ravishing  splendor  that 
filled  Yamato  with  grace  and  beauty.' 

"Under  these  same  religious  and  educational  influences 
Japan  has  reached  the  highest  pinnacle  of  modern  civiliza- 
tion and  stands  to-day  in  the  front  rank  of  the  great  pow- 
ers of  the  world.  The  net-work  of  railroads  and  telegraph 
lines,  which  bind  the  remotest  corners  of  the  empire,  thou- 
sands of  smoke-stacks  that  break  the  sky-line  throughout 
the  land,  unsurpassed  agricultural  and  educational  devel- 
opments, cities  and  towns,  universities,  colleges,  and  public 
schools,  general  culture  and  refinement  of  the  masses,  to- 
gether with  the  organization  and  solidarity  of  their  gov- 
ernment, attest  the  wonderful  and  liberalizing  influences 
of  this  pagan  religious  cult. 

"Not  far  away  in  the  Southern  Seas  where  balmy 
breezes,  sunny  skies,  and  fertilizing  rains  clothe  mountain- 
side, valley,  and  plain  in  a  perpetual  garb  of  verdure,  lies 
a  group  of  isles  whose  wretched  peoples  had  been  rotting 
away  during  three  long  centuries  of  pitiless  misrule  and 
thumbscrew  government  under  the  monastic  orders  which 
followed  in  the  wake  of  the  Adelantado  Legaspi  and  Fray 
Urdaneta. 

"The  observing  traveller,  fresh  from  happy,  prosperous, 
intellectual,  Buddhist  Japan,  who  entered  Manila  before 
Old  Glory  floated  over  Santiago  with  its  clanking  dungeon 
cells,  no  doubt  wondered  at  the  mediaeval  Philippines  and 
the  wretched  semi-savages  who  had  been  fostered  and 
cared  for  by  the  holy  fathers  during  that  long  period  of 
cruelty  and  eternal  wrong. 

"It  was  only  necessary  to  go  beyond  the  limits  of 
Manila  to  learn  what  few  changes  for  the  better  had  taken 
place  in  the  islands  since  Rome  assumed  command.  In 
place  of  railroads  and  telegraph  lines  he  would  have  found 
blazed  trails  and  impassable  country  roads;  for  thriving 
cities  and  towns,  miserable  pueblos  and  barrios  composed 
23  [  353  ] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

of  nipa  huts  and  hovels;  for  great  universities,  colleges, 
and  public  schools,  a  few  educational  institutions  with 
mediaeval  faculties  which  prohibited  intelligent  thought 
and  restricted  mental  growth;  for  public  schools,  seques- 
tered parochial  classes  in  which  the  catechism  and  the 
miracles  of  the  saints  formed  the  entire  curriculum;  for 
agricultural  development,  small  patches  of  rice,  cane,  and 
tobacco;  for  a  universal  language,  a  hundred  primitive 
dialects;  for  chastity,  truth,  and  honesty,  immorality, 
lying,  and  petty  larceny;  for  law  and  order,  organized 
bands  of  outlaws  and  murderers;  for  peace,  happiness, 
and  prosperity,  misery,  squalor,  and  poverty;  for  educa- 
tion, literature,  art,  and  culture,  ignorance,  bigotry,  feti- 
chism,  and  superstition ;  for  freedom  of  speech,  press,  and 
religion,  dungeon  cells,  banishment,  and  the  garrote;  for 
a  liberal  government,  an  overbearing  and  tyrannical 
theocracy. 

"Perhaps,  after  all,  Ieyasu  was  wise,  when  he  closed 
the  doors  of  Japan,  early  in  the  seventeenth  century, 
against  the  invasion  of  Home.  Who  knows  but  that  he 
was  posted  on  the  unhappy  conditions  in  the  Philippines, 
Mexico,  Cuba,  Porto  Rico,  South  America  and  even  in 
miserable  priest-ridden  Spain  itself.  But  from  whence 
came  that  benevolent  cult  which  regenerated  and  blessed 
Japan? 

"Buddha,  the  originator  of  that  wonderful  creed  which 
includes  in  its  membership  one-third  of  the  world's  popu- 
lation, was  born  in  543  a.  d.  in  the  town  of  Kapilavasta, 
Northern  India,  and  of  noble  parentage.  It  was  during 
a  period  of  fasting  and  temptation  that  he  grasped  the 
four  great  principles  of  his  creed:  first,  that  existence  in- 
volves suffering ;  second,  that  suffering  results  from  desire ; 
third,  that  relief  from  desire  and  suffering  come  from 
annihilation;  and  fourth,  that  extinction  from  existence 
can  only  result  from  an  absolutely  correct  mode  of  life. 
It  is  believed,  however,  that  Buddha  meant  the  extinction 

[354] 


HISTORY  OF  BUDDHISM 

of  the  soul's  desires  to  all  disturbing  influences,  and  hence 
that  state  of  eternal  and  unbroken  tranquillity,  known  as 
Nirvana.  He  laid  down  three  cardinal  principles  for  the 
guidance  of  mankind.  First,  that  the  attainment  of  a 
sinless  state  of  perfect  enlightenment  was  gained  through 
meditation  and  benevolence ;  second,  that  Karma  was  cause 
and  effect,  that  each  effect  in  this  life  springs  from  a 
cause  in  some  previous  incarnation,  and  that  each  act  in 
this  life  bears  its  fruit  in  the  life  to  come;  and  third, 
that  Karma  was  discipline  and  order,  or  the  Lord,  Law, 
and  the  Church.  The  first  monastic  system  in  the  world 
was  that  organized  by  Buddha.  His  followers  not  only 
subscribed  to  celibacy,  poverty,  and  obedience,  but  were 
permitted  to  possess  only  the  following  worldly  articles, 
namely :  three  robes,  a  loin  girdle,  alms-bowl,  needle,  razor, 
and  a  strainer  through  which  drinking  water  was  passed. 
It  will  thus  be  noted  that  Buddha  recognized  the  dangers 
in  drinking-water  and  may  be  regarded  as  the  inventor 
of  the  filter.  He  preached  forty-five  years  after  his  en- 
lightenment and  at  his  death  500  followers  chanted  his 
teachings  that  they  might  never  perish  from  the  memory 
of  man. 

"It  is  to  the  credit  of  this  great  leader  that  he  merely 
represented  himself  as  a  guide  for  suffering  humanity  and 
his  precepts  for  their  consideration.  His  creed  involved 
no  complex  ritual  or  dogmas,  and  his  followers  were  left 
to  the  dictates  of  their  own  free  will.  He  did  not  preach 
that  he  was  the  saviour  of  mankind,  nor  that  there  were 
heaven  and  hell. 

"His  principles  involved  the  highest  moral  code  and 
mainly  consisted  of  prohibition  against  intemperance, 
lying,  stealing,  murder,  adultery,  anger,  pride,  hypocrisy, 
greed,  gossip,  cruelty  to  animals,  and  every  shade  of 
vice.  He  enjoined  reverence  to  parents,  care  of  children, 
submission  to  authority,  gratitude,  self-abnegation,  modera- 
tion in  times  of  prosperity,  forgiveness  of  others'  faults, 

[355] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

and  all  of  the  cardinal  virtues.  When  asked  in  regard  to 
the  creation  of  the  world  he  replied  that  such  questions 
were  vain  and  idle. 

"A  theory  of  the  cosmogony  evolved  by  one  of  his 
followers  was  to  the  effect  that  a  lotus  bud  emerged  from 
the  chaos  of  waters  at  the  beginning  and  that  from  this 
flower  sprang  the  universe.  The  idea  is  poetical  and 
beautiful,  for  it  is  known  that  this  incarnation  of  all 
perfect  flowers  appears  from  the  slime  and  fester  of  stag- 
nant pools,  and  rising  mysteriously  from  beneath  the 
foul  surface,  unfolds  itself  into  a  flower  of  marvellous 
beauty  and  perfection.  It  may  be  from  this  historical 
legend  that  the  lotus-pond  became  conspicuous  in  the 
grounds  of  every  Buddhist  monastery. 

"The  transmigration  of  souls  from  one  body  to  another 
is  also  a  tenet  of  the  creed,  made  necessary  for  souls 
steeped  in  vice,  who  through  various  steps  of  prepara- 
tion are  perfected  for  the  haven  of  Nirvana. 

"Buddhism  made  its  way  into  China  250  years  B.C., 
and  gradually  filtered  into  Korea,  from  whence  it  entered 
Japan  where  it  soon  became  an  accepted  faith.  It  was 
through  the  agency  of  King  Hiaksai  of  the  Hermit  King- 
dom that  priests,  images,  and  sutras  were  transported 
across  the  Sea  of  Japan  and  the  new  religion  planted. 
Two  historical  images,  one  in  the  temple  of  Zenkoji, 
Nogano,  and  the  other  in  Tennoji,  Osaka,  are  claimed  to 
be  the  original  ones  sent  over  by  Korea  during  that 
period. 

"Most  naturally  the  new  creed  accompanied  by  foreign 
gods  created  dismay  among  the  native  clergy  who  had 
held  sacerdotal  sway  ages  before  the  divine  Mikado  Jimmu 
had  descended  from  heaven.  The  ruling  Emperor  there- 
fore decided  to  assemble  a  council  to  settle  the  momentous 
question  which  might  call  forth  the  ire  and  curses  of 
the  native  gods.  Soga  no  Iname,  a  prominent  member 
as  well  as  an  advocate  of  Buddhism,  was  permitted  to 
build  a  temple  for  the  foreign  priests  and  strange  idols. 

[356] 


MOTOMACHI-DORI  STREET,  KOBE,  JAPAN 


Street  scene,  Tokio,  Japan 


HISTORY  OF  BUDDHISM 

Scarcely  had  they  become  well-housed  before  pestilence 
brooded  over  the  land  and  was  ascribed  to  the  new  religion. 
Led  by  a  number  of  Shinto  priests  a  large  band  of  the 
old  school  demolished  Soga's  temple  and  threw  the  images 
in  the  Yodogawa  not  far  from  Osaka.  A  few  years  later 
the  tide  turned  in  favor  of  Buddhism  and  Soga  was  al- 
lowed to  reestablish  his  temple  and  fish  out  the  images 
from  the  river. 

"From  this  period  until  the  appearance  of  Shotoku 
Taishi,  the  great  native  apostle  of  the  new  creed,  the 
country  was  seething  with  conflicts  and  unrest  between 
the  two  religious  factions.  Shotoku  was  the  premier  of 
the  queen  and  it  was  through  his  influence  that  the  Em- 
press and  court  became  converts  and  further  objection 
averted.  So  much  enthusiasm  did  Shotoku  create  among 
the  nobles  and  powerful  families  that  many  of  the  famous 
temples  built  about  that  time  could  be  traced  to  his 
influence. 

"As  the  strength  and  organization  of  the  new  priest- 
hood increased,  the  power  of  the  Mikado  and  court  de- 
clined, until  the  ruler  had  become  a  mere  shadow  and  the 
real  authority  was  delegated  to  a  military  leader.  With 
the  increase  of  Buddhism,  the  priesthood  became  the  real 
power,  and  finally  dictated  the  policy  of  the  court. 
Through  the  confessional,  or  the  influence  of  the  wife, 
concubine,  or  some  favored  female,  they  even  obtained 
possession  of  the  treasury  and  were  thus  enabled  to  spend 
lavishly  on  magnificent  temples.  One  of  the  order,  Monk 
Ugino  Do-kio,  who  had  become  premier  to  the  emperor 
even  aspired  to  the  throne. 

"The  bonzes  accompanied  the  armies  to  war,  and  like 
their  Roman  Catholic  colleagues  during  the  early  colonial 
days  of  Spain,  immediately  took  possession  of  the  pacified 
territory  and  began  to  convert  the  natives.  It  was  during 
the  acme  of  their  power,  that  the  priesthood  became  so 
mighty  that  they  resisted  the  orders  of  the  government. 
In  the  sixteenth  century  thousands  of  temples  and  monas- 

[357] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

teries  dotted  the  plains  and  mountain-sides  of  the  country, 
many  of  which  had  regiments  of  armed  retainers.  On 
the  crest  of  Hiei-zan,  overlooking  the  sacred  capital  of 
Kioto,  were  three  thousand  temples,  the  occupants  of 
which  became  so  rebelious  that  Nobunaga  was  forced 
to  march  against  them  with  an  army,  during  which  all  of 
the  temples  were  burned  to  the  ground  and  thousands  of 
the  monks,  concubines,  and  their  families  put  to  the  sword. 

"It  was  about  the  twelfth  century  that  Confucianism 
added  its  weight  to  the  new  religion  and  inculcated  those 
principles  upon  which  'Bushido,'  or  the  'Way  of  the 
Knight,'  is  founded,  namely,  loyalty  to  Mikado,  shogun, 
lord,  and  master.  In  China  loyalty  to  parents  comes 
first,  while  in  Japan  loyalty  to  king.  Filial  duty  in  China 
is  the  basis  of  order  and  national  longevity  and  is  one  of 
the  wonders  of  the  world;  coincidentally  or  otherwise  it 
agrees  with  the  Scriptural  injunction  as  laid  down  in  the 
fourth  commandment. 

"Confucius  is  a  clear  and  distinct  historical  character 
and  his  parentage,  place  of  birth,  public  life,  ofiices,  work, 
and  teaching  are  properly  authenticated.  He  was  born  in 
551  B.C.  in  the  Province  of  Shan  Tung,  China,  where  his 
direct  line  still  exists,  although  seventy-five  generations 
have  been  born  and  passed  out  of  existence  since  the  birth 
of  the  Great  Teacher. 

"Although  Confucius  is  said  to  have  originated  nothing 
beyond  that  taught  at  the  time,  he  is  justly  entitled  to 
the  honor  of  being  the  world's  greatest  editor  and  compiler 
to  that  date.  He  was  also  known  as  the  Socrates  of  his 
day  and  was  followed  constantly  by  devoted  disciples  who 
lived  on  his  wise  utterances.  He  edited  many  of  the  prin- 
cipal works  of  the  old  masters  and  has  left  a  number  of 
volumes  of  his  own  discussions  or  conversations  which  are 
known  as  the  Confucian  Analects. 

"He  died  in  478  b.c.  at  the  age  of  seventy-one  and  in 
no  wise  modified  the  preexisting  religion,  which  was 
monotheistic,  except  that  he  laid  great  stress  on  the  ob- 

[358] 


HISTORY  OF  BUDDHISM 

servance  of  the  social  and  political  duties  of  mankind. 
His  teaching  referred  chiefly  to  the  duties  between  man 
and  man,  to  etiquette  and  ceremony.  He  practically  ig- 
nored the  existence  of  a  Supreme  Being  and  may  be  held 
responsible,  in  a  measure,  for  the  agnosticism  of  China 
and  Japan  to-day. 

"Many  changes  were  made  in  the  creed  of  Buddha  after 
its  transplantation  in  Japan  which  greatly  facilitated  its 
adoption  among  the  people.  It  was  through  the  influence 
of  Kobo  Daishi,  the  most  famous  of  all  'Japanese  Buddhist 
saints,  that  a  vast  number  of  the  Shinto  gods  were  adopted 
as  avatars  in  the  pantheon  of  Buddhist  gods.  It  was 
currently  believed  that  during  a  visit  made  by  him  to  the 
Sacred  Shrine  of  Ise,  he  communicated  directly  with  Ama- 
terasu,  the  Sun  Goddess,  and  hence  learned  that  many  of 
the  most  popular  Shinto  gods,  prehistorically,  were  Indian 
gods  and  thus  enrolled  among  those  of  Buddha.  The 
Riyobu,  or  the  mixed  Buddhist  religion  as  it  was  now 
called,  became  very  pleasing  to  the  natives  since  it  had 
incorporated  the  Shinto  gods  and  did  not  obliterate  the 
old  customs  of  pilgrimage,  festivals,  and  other  ancient 
rites  dear  to  the  people.  The  bonzes  were  lovers  of 
beauty  in  art  and  nature  and  religious  symbolism.  Their 
teachings  were  metaphysical  and  mystical,  political,  his- 
torical, scientific,  and  literary.  Credit  should  be  given 
them  for  horticulture  and  the  Japanese  garden,  which  to 
the  refined  imagination  is  far  more  than  meets  the  eye 
of  the  alien. 

"Between  the  twelfth  and  sixteenth  centuries  Japanese 
Buddhism  became  divided  into  many  sects  and  subsects, 
among  which  may  be  mentioned  as  prominent  the  Zen, 
Shin,  Shingon,  Jodo,  Nicheren,  and  Tendai,  all  of  which 
hold  tenets  materially  differing  from  the  others  although 
many  of  the  points  in  dispute  are  highly  metaphysical  and 
technical.  So  complicated  is  the  special  creed  of  the 
Shingon  sect  that  Sir  Ernest  Satow,  who  is  one  of  the 
greatest  authorities  on  Oriental  religions,  says,  its  'whole 

[359] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

doctrine  is  extremely  difficult  to  comprehend  and  more 
difficult  to  put  into  intelligible  language.'  Of  another  of 
the  sects  he  tells  us  that  its  'highest  truths  are  consid- 
ered to  be  incomprehensible  except  to  those  who  have 
attained  to  Buddhaship. ' 

"The  Buddhist  body  of  scripture  has  never  been 
printed  in  Japanese,  and  the  canons  were  made  up  by 
Buddha's  disciples  or  followers  for  the  most  part  many 
centuries  after  he  had  passed  away.  Doctor  Eitel  states 
that  a  number  of  the  books  of  Buddha  received  the  ap- 
proval of  the  Ecumenical  Council  of  Cashmere  about  the 
time  of  Christ  and  that  Buddha  himself  has  been  enrolled 
as  a  saint  in  the  Church  of  Rome.  Since  1870,  about 
which  time  the  new  regime  became  effective  in  Japan, 
a  great  revolution  occurred  in  the  Riyobu  form  of  the 
faith,  by  which  all  of  the  temples  devoted  to  the  mixed 
religion  became  purged  of  all  Buddhist  symbols,  furni- 
ture, equipment,  and  personnel,  and  returned  to  the  august 
and  severe  simplicity  of  the  ancient  faith. 

"The  separate  elements  forming  Japanese  Buddhism  are 
taken  from  Brahmanism,  Buddhism,  Taoism,  and  Shin- 
toism  and  it  is  now  said  that  a  new  school  is  proposing 
to  add  a  fifth  element,  namely,  Christianity,  with  Jesus 
of  Nazareth  as  a  Palestine  avatar.  Whether  it  be  the 
result  of  the  broadening  views  of  Western  education  and 
civilization  or  the  doctrines  promulgated  by  the  disciples 
of  Christianity,  popular  Buddhism  in  Japan  is  now,  how- 
ever, both  ethically  and  vitally  in  a  low  state  and  rapidly 
going  into  decay.  Thousands  of  the  images  are  being 
removed  from  the  shrines  and  temples  and  sold  for  old 
junk,  while  the  broad  lines  of  humanity  and  altruism  have 
supplanted  the  creed  and  hospitals  and  orphan  asylums, 
the  sites  of  former  temples." 


[360] 


CHAPTER  XXXIV 

KOBE   AND   ENVIRONMENT  —  TRAITS   OF  JAPA- 
NESE WOMEN 

The  Ancient  Capital  Hyogo —  The  Sea-Port  Town 
Kobe  —  The  Temple  op  Ikuta  —  A  Christening  Cere- 
mony—  The  Sacred  Dice  Box  —  The  Waterfalls  op 
Nunobiki  —  The  Environment  op  Kobe  —  Mr.  Wil- 
kinson's Lawsuit  —  Himeji,  Okayama,  and  Fukuyama 
—  The  Kaleidoscope  op  the  Royal  Highway  —  A 
Japanese  Bride  and  Groom  —  A  Few  Traits  op  Jap- 
anese Women  —  Their  Homes  and  Housekeeping  — 
The  Fpte  Maladies  which  Affect  the  Female  Mind 
in  Japan  —  Storms  Illustrattte  op  Their  Character. 

MY  friends,' '  said  the  Major,  as  we  crossed  the 
Ai-oi  Bridge,  the  morning  following  our  arrival  in 
Kobe,  "although  you  may  not  be  aware  of  the  fact,  we  are 
nevertheless  in  one  of  Japan's  ancient  capitals." 

As  our  visit  to  Kobe  was  necessarily  brief,  we  had  taken 
an  early  breakfast  and  started  for  Hyogo,  which  joins 
Kobe  on  the  southwest,  and  may  at  present  be  regarded 
as  a  continuation  of  that  great  seaport  town,  which  lies 
at  the  western  gate  of  the  Inland  Sea. 

It  was  in  1180,  shortly  after  the  destruction  of  the 
palace  in  Kioto  by  fire,  that  the  powerful  regent 
Kiyomori  removed  the  capital  to  Hyogo  for  a  period  of 
six  months,  after  which  it  was  transferred  back  to  Kioto, 
where  it  remained  for  over  600  years,  and  until  changed 
to  Tokio  in  1868.  It  was  during  this  period  that  Kiyomori 
became  involved  in  a  war  with  Yoritomo,  the  head  of  the 

[361] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

Minamoto  clan,  during  which  the  former's  clan,  the 
Tairas,  with  his  son  Munemori,  were  wiped  off  the  face 
of  the  earth  in  the  naval  engagement  of  Dan-no-ura,  near 
Shimonoseki.  This  town  was  also  the  theatre  of  that 
great  battle  in  1336  between  the  Ashikaga  forces  and  the 
troops  of  the  dethroned  Emperor,  Go-Daigo,  led  by  that 
gallant  and  intrepid  soldier,  Kusonoki  Masashige,  who 
with  the  few  remaining  members  of  his  troops,  after 
defeat  committed  hara-kiri,  within  the  temple  grounds. 

Besides  its  historical  interest,  Hyogo  possesses  in  its 
temples  and  mountains  an  enviable  local  interest.  Just 
beyond  the  bridge,  in  a  square  walled  enclosure,  stands 
the  Shinto  temple  of  Nanko  which  has  been  dedicated  to 
the  celebrated  warrior  Masashige  of  whom  we  have  just 
spoken.  The  temple  grounds  present  a  gorgeous  appear- 
ance annually  on  the  twenty-fifth  of  May,  the  anniversary 
of  his  death.  The  procession  which  turns  out  on  that  occa- 
sion in  his  honor  is  dressed  in  similar  uniform  and  armor 
to  that  worn  by  his  troops  and  presents  a  striking  picture 
of  Japan's  mediaeval  army. 

Hyogo  also  possesses  a  gigantic  bronze  Buddha  which 
stands  in  the  temple  of  Nofukuji  and  is  forty-eight  feet 
high.  This  large  statue  was  presented  to  the  city  by  an 
enthusiast  of  the  gentle  Buddha,  as  a  peace  offering  to 
that  great  deity  on  account  of  the  snug  fortune  he  had 
accumulated  through  the  paper  industry.  The  visitor 
who  is  unable  to  visit  Kamakura  or  Nara  should  by  all 
means  see  Hyogo 's  great  statue,  although  the  face  is  not 
so  fine  as  that  of  the  great  masterpiece  at  Kamakura. 

Not  far  away  from  the  Nofukuji  temple  may  be  seen 
a  remarkable  bronze  statue  to  Amida  which  stands  upon 
a  stone  pedestal  in  front  of  a  lotus-pond.  In  the  near 
vicinity  towers  a  thirteen-storied  pagoda  of  stone  which 
was  built  as  a  monument  to  Kiyomori,  the  implacable 
enemy  of  Yoritomo,  the  first  shogun  of  Japan.  On  his 
deathbed,  Kiyomori  warned  his  clan  of  the  growing 
dangers   from  the  young  Minamoto   chieftain   and  said, 

[362] 


KOBE  AND   ENVIRONMENT 

"My  only  regret  in  dying  is  that  I  have  not  seen  the 
head  of  Yoritomo  of  the  Minamoto.  After  my  decease 
do  not  make  offerings  to  Buddha  or  read  the  sacred 
books,  but  cut  off  the  head  of  Yoritomo  and  hang  it  on 
my  tomb."  A  few  steps  away  is  the  temple  of  Seifukuji, 
where  an  officer  in  the  service  of  the  Daimio  of  Bizen 
was  condemned  to  commit  hara-kiri  because  he  had 
ordered  his  lord's  troops  to  fire  on  the  Foreign  Settle- 
ment at  Kobe  in  1868. 

Kobe  is  beautifully  located  on  the  shore  of  the  Inland 
Sea  and  contains  a  population  of  380,568  souls.  It  was 
founded  as  a  foreign  settlement  in  1868  and  is  noted, 
not  only  on  account  of  its  lead  in  exports  and  imports 
among  the  cities  of  the  empire,  but  also  on  account  of 
the  purity  and  dryness  of  its  atmosphere  which  makes 
it  a  favorite  point  of  residence.  Moreover,  its  proximity 
to  Kioto,  Osaka,  and  Nara,  located  in  the  heart  of  Old 
Japan,  adds  greatly  to  its  many  other  advantages. 

Like  Yokohama  the  foreign  settlement  of  Kobe  is  built 
entirely  on  Western  lines  and  resembles  in  the  width  of 
streets  and  its  architecture,  American  or  European  cities. 
It  possesses  a  number  of  excellent  hotels,  among  which 
may  be  mentioned  the  Tor,  Grand,  Continental,  California, 
and  the  Mikado,  all  of  which  are  prepared  to  care  for 
foreign  patronage. 

The  business  men  of  Kobe  are  active  and  progressive 
and  have  organized  a  bankers'  association,  clearing  house, 
chamber  of  commerce,  and  a  tea  traders'  association, 
where  all  of  the  tea  for  export  is  sampled  and  officially 
stamped,  before  being  shipped  to  foreign  countries.  The 
United  States  has  located  one  of  its  three  coaling  stations 
in  Kobe  and,  much  to  the  wonder  of  the  Japanese  gov- 
ernment, ships  its  coal  from  America  instead  of  purchas- 
ing the  native  product  which  is  reasonable  in  price  and 
of  good  quality. 

Fortunately  for  the  traveller  who  objects  to  the  use 
of  the  jinricksha,  Kobe  was  well  supplied  with  a  number 

[363] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

of  excellent  one-  and  two-horse  victorias  during  our  visit, 
and  I  presume  with  motor  cars  by  this  time,  for  the 
alert  Japanese,  who  is  known  as  the  Yankee  of  the  Orient, 
never  loses  a  trick  when  it  comes  to  business.  Among  the 
points  of  interest  in  Kobe  and  its  environment  which 
deserve  a  visit  are  the  old  Ikuta  Shinto  temple  and  the 
Nunobiki  waterfalls,  besides  a  large  number  of  moun- 
tain peaks  with  interesting  temples  and  charming  seaside 
resorts  with  excellent  hotels,  which  offer  delightful  out- 
ings to  those  able  to  remain  long  enough  to  visit  them. 

After  our  return  from  Hyogo,  we  drove  at  once  to  the 
Ikuta  temple  and  found  it  well  patronized  with  a  large 
attendance  of  natives  engaged  in  the  customary  Shinto 
ceremonial  of  hand-clapping  and  throwing  small  pieces 
of  copper  money  in  the  slatted  offering-box.  It  was  a 
few  moments  before  I  noticed  the  interesting  ceremony 
of  a  christening  which  was  in  progress. 

The  young  mother,  babe  in  arms,  sat  in  the  middle  of 
the  floor  while  a  priest  in  gorgeous  vestments  chanted 
a  weird  song  to  the  accompaniment  of  a  large  bass  drum 
which  murdered  conversation  for  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
around.  In  the  meanwhile  a  young  priestess,  with  a 
staff  ornamented  with  streamers,  was  cutting  a  few 
pigeon-wings  around  the  young  mother  and  watching  with 
covetous  glances  several  *  young  priests  who  were  passing 
to  the  old  abbot  vessels  containing  sake,  fish,  fruit,  rice, 
and  other  toothsome  morsels  as  offerings  to  the  temple 
gods.  In  a  few  moments  the  music  and  dancing  ceased, 
and  the  young  mother  who  was  presented  by  the  offi- 
ciating priest  with  a  scroll  of  instructions  regarding  baby 
raising,  left  the  stage. 

In  leaving  the  main  temple  we  passed  a  small  shrine 
provided  with  two  octagonal  prayer  dice  boxes  about  eight 
inches  long.  Each  box  was  filled  with  small  wooden  rods 
bearing  numbers  with  cabalistic  inscriptions  in  the 
Chinese  ideogram.  In  the  bottom  of  the  box  was  a  round 
opening,  through  which  the  prayer-stick,   after  shaking 

[364] 


KOBE  AND  ENVIRONMENT 

the  box,  was  drawn.  When  the  natives  had  finished 
drawing  the  Major  slipped  forward  and  shook  the  box. 
A  moment  later  he  extracted  a  stick  bearing  the  unlucky 
number  thirteen,  with  an  ideogram  which  resembled  a 
bundle  of  horned  toads. 

"Don't  look  so  sad,  Major/'  said  the  Judge,  "I  will 
prove  to  you  that  fortune  will  continue  to  smile  upon  us 
in  spite  of  your  bad  omen,  and  that  we  are  playing  in  the 
greatest  luck. ' ' 

Then  giving  the  box  several  vigorous  shakes  and  utter- 
ing the  mystic  words  eny,  meny,  miny,  mo,  with  fingers 
crossed,  he  drew  a  stick  upon  which  appeared  in  large, 
red  letters,  the  number  twenty-three. 

1 '  Come,  gentlemen,  let  us  skee-doo,  for  if  we  don 't  leave 
the  temple  grounds  at  once  I  fear  the  goddess  will  assem- 
ble the  gods  and  put  us  out.  I  have  a  prie  that  it  would 
prove  a  bad  day  to  play  the  races. ' ' 

The  Ikuta  Temple  is  said  to  have  been  founded  by  the 
Empress  Jingo  on  her  return  from  Korea  in  205  a.  d. 
after  a  victorious  campaign  of  three  years,  as  a  result  of 
which  the  three  independent  kingdoms  of  that  country 
became  tributary  to  Japan.  The  goddess  of  the  temple 
is  therefore  known  as  the  Japanese  Minerva,  and  is  be- 
lieved by  the  peasantry  to  control  the  rainfall,  because  of 
which  she  is  appealed  to  during  seasons  of  excessive  rain- 
storms or  drought. 

About  twenty  minutes  from  the  centre  of  the  foreign 
settlement  the  Nunobiki  Waterfalls  are  reached,  two  very 
attractive  and  picturesque  falls,  the  "male"  and  "female," 
both  of  which  are  located  some  distance  up  the  mountain- 
side, well  flanked  by  attractive  tea  and  lunch  houses. 
Very  much  after  the  fashion  of  the  Jersey  mosquitoes 
which  lie  in  wait  for  the  unsuspecting  stranger  who  visits 
the  seashore  resorts  of  that  state,  the  geisha  girls  of  Nuno- 
biki scent  the  game  from  afar,  and  before  one  reaches 
the  first  fall  he  finds  himself  surrounded  by  a  dozen  or 
more  enamelled  and  painted  nesans  who  offer  all  kinds 

[365] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

of  inducements  to  partake  of  their  hospitality.  On  account 
of  this  insistent  crowd,  which  is  as  brazen  as  the  Mar- 
guerites of  the  Strand  after  ten  o'clock  at  night,  ladies 
are  warned  to  keep  away  from  Nunobiki  unless  accom- 
panied by  gentlemen. 

Probably  nowhere  in  Japan  are  there  more  numerous 
or  pleasanter  resorts  than  within  the  mountain  regions 
a  few  miles  north  of  Kobe.  Among  the  most  popular  of 
these  may  be  mentioned  the  towns  of  Suwayama,  Maya- 
san,  Mino,  Naka-yama,  Takara-zuka  and  Arima.  The 
celebrated  table  waters  "Tansan"  and  "Hirano,"  which 
are  bottled  and  sold  throughout  the  Orient,  come  from 
Takara-zuka  and  Naka-yama. 

One  of  the  traits  characteristic  of  Japanese  business 
men,  and  the  protection  afforded  foreigners  engaged  in 
trade  over  there,  may  be  illustrated  by  a  law-suit  between 
Mr.  Clifford  Wilkinson,  the  owner  of  the  Tansan  bot- 
tling works,  and  a  Japanese  firm  which  was  imitating  his 
label.  Although  Mr.  Wilkinson  obtained  a  judgment  the 
firm  appealed  and  continued  bottling.  He  then  applied 
for  an  injunction  against  the  firm  pending  the  appeal. 
The  learned  native  judge  rendered  a  decision  that  the 
firm  might  continue  imitating  the  label  as  it  was  winter 
time  and  Mr.  Wilkinson  would  in  all  probability  suffer 
but  little  loss  as  little  water  was  drunk  at  that  season ! 

In  leaving  Kobe  for  the  west  via  the  Sanyodo  Railway 
the  traveller  shortly  passes  Suma,  Shioya,  Maiko,  and 
Akashi,  popular  seaside  resorts  where  many  of  the  resi- 
dents live  during  the  summer  months.  From  Akashi  to 
Himeji  the  scenery  along  the  seashore  is  extremely  pic- 
turesque and  beautiful  and  has  for  ages  been  the  subject 
of  poetry  and  song.  Hitomaro,  one  of  the  earliest  Japa- 
nese poets,  in  the  eighth  century,  sang  of  its  enchanting 
beauty,  and  since  that  date  native  poets  have  never  tired 
of  singing  the  praises  of  this  pine-clad  coast. 

The  old  castle  at  Himeji  which  was  founded  in  the 
fourteenth  century  is  in  an  excellent  state  of  preserva- 

[366] 


KOBE  AND  ENVIRONMENT 

tion,  and  next  to  the  one  at  Osaka,  is  the  largest  in  the 
empire.  In  1577  Nobunaga  presented  the  province  of 
Harima  to  Hideyoshi,  who  enlarged  the  castle  and 
crowned  it  with  thirty  turrets,  and  in  1608  Terumasa, 
who  had  become  its  possessor  at  that  time,  added  twenty 
more.  The  castle  and  grounds  are  now  owned  by  the 
government  and  occupied  by  Imperial  troops. 

The  Imperial  Sanyo  Railway,  which  borders  the  shores 
of  the  Inland  Sea  most  of  the  way  from  Kobe  to  Shimono- 
seki,  runs  through  scenery  of  transcendental  beauty,  else- 
where unparalleled  on  the  face  of  the  globe  for  such  a 
long  distance.  It  matters  not  whether  the  traveller 
turns  his  eyes  towards  the  distant  mountain-tops  clear 
cut  in  bold  silhouette  against  the  blue  arch  of  heaven,  or 
upon  the  islet-strewn  bosom  of  the  Inland  Sea,  the  pro- 
cession of  enchanting  scenes  never  ceases  to  thrill  the 
artistic  soul. 

The  sky-line  along  the  mountain  crests  throughout  the 
empire  lends  a  peculiar  charm  to  the  mountain  scenery 
of  Japan,  found  nowhere  else  in  the  wide,  wide  world, 
a  felicitous  gift  from  the  gods  enhanced  by  the  cunning 
art  of  man.  When  the  popular  stream  of  travel  turns 
from  the  well-beaten  paths  of  Europe  to  the  shores  of 
Dai-Nippon,  I  can  imagine  no  motor  course  so  attractive 
and  unique  as  the  historic  highway  along  the  Inland  Sea. 
Built  ages  ago  and  lined  with  majestic  cryptomerias  and 
fantastic,  freakish  pines,  it  winds  its  way  over  hill  and 
dale,  ever  and  anon  so  close  to  the  water's  edge  that  the 
musical  lapping  of  the  waves  reechoes  back  from  the  cliffs 
beyond. 

From  the  window  of  our  Pullman  the  commonalty  of 
Japan  passes  in  review.  Bands  of  white-robed  pilgrims 
with  staff  and  broad  bamboo  hat  are  seen  threading  their 
way  to  some  holy  shrine;  companies  of  Imperial  troops 
swinging  along  in  cadenced  step  on  their  daily  practice 
march  from  the  garrison  town  near  by;  groups  of  peas- 
ants driving  gayly  caparisoned  black  pack  bulls   laden 

[367] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

down  with  the  product  of  their  toil  and  slowly  wending 
their  way  to  the  nearest  market  town;  curious  Japanese 
wagons  drawn  by  little  horses  with  noses  almost  touching 
the  ground  and  led  by  rustic  drivers  in  suits  of  homespun 
blue;  groups  of  uniformed  school  children  bent  on  a  holi- 
day's outing,  while  the  country  doctor  and  wealthy  land- 
owner in  their  two-man  rickshas  pass  by  in  jog-trot  gait 
and  complete  the  kaleidoscopic  panorama  which  forms  the 
daily  life  of  that  ancient  highway. 

The  Japanese  have  for  ages  been  students  of  nature, 
which  accounts  for  the  conformity  that  exists  between  the 
work  of  man  and  God  in  that  garden  of  the  Far  East. 
Go  where  you  may,  from  Nagasaki  to  Hakodate,  you  will 
find  no  discordant  note  to  disturb  the  harmony  of  the 
scale.  So  effective  has  the  mimicry  between  the  animal, 
vegetable,  architectural,  and  physical  creation  of  Japan 
become,  that  each  is  complementary  to  the  other  though 
it  seems  unnatural  when  transplanted  to  other  portions  of 
the  globe. 

Indeed  so  strong  has  Japan  grown  into  its  own  char- 
acteristics that  any  race  of  people,  save  the  Malay-Mon- 
golian, appears  strange  and  out  of  place  in  this  land  of 
national  homogenesis.  Quaint  and  picturesque  are  the 
villages  of  houses  with  one-story,  thatched  roofs  which 
one  finds  nestling  everywhere.  In  course  of  time  their 
weather-stained  walls  and  gray  roofs  give  the  entire  vil- 
lage a  uniform  hue  which  suggests  a  patch  of  monster 
mushrooms  resting  at  the  base  of  some  mountain-side. 

The  Japanese  people  are  exceedingly  anxious  to  learn 
English,  and  during  our  journey  to  Hiroshima,  we  met 
a  number  who  spoke  the  language  very  well  although 
they  had  never  been  away  from  their  native  land.  It  is 
taught  in  all  of  the  universities,  colleges,  high  schools, 
and  many  of  the  middle  schools,  which  will  insure  a  gen- 
eral knowledge  of  English  within  a  few  years.  Perhaps 
they  have  taken  the  cue  from  Captain  Hobson  and  have 
concluded  that  our  language  might  become  quite  handy 

[368] 


KOBE  AND  ENVIRONMENT 

when  they  quietly  settle  down  to  colonize  California  and 
our  golden  Western  coast. 

Sixty  miles  west  of  Himeji  the  road  passes  through 
Okayama,  the  capital  of  Bizen,  and  fifty  miles  farther 
through  Fukuyama,  the  capital  of  Bingo,  two  of  the  most 
interesting  castle  towns  between  Kobe  and  Hiroshima  and 
well  worth  a  visit  from  the  lovers  of  Old  Japan.  Among 
the  interesting  sights  of  Okayama  is  the  Koraku-en  garden 
which  represents  the  ancient  type  of  the  Japanese  land- 
scape gardening  before  the  art  was  modified  by  the  Euro- 
pean school. 

The  Koraku-en  was  formerly  the  charming  plaisance 
of  the  lords  of  the  castle  and  contains  miniature  moun- 
tains, lakes,  valleys,  and  hills,  and  is  further  embellished 
with  flowering  trees  and  plants  among  which  are  the 
cherry,  plum,  and  maple  trees,  palmettos,  wistaria, 
peony,  and  lotus.  A  few  cranes  may  be  seen  wading  in 
the  ponds,  which  are  said  to  be  over  two  hundred  years 
old.  The  orphanage,  located  at  Okayama  contains  1,200 
children  and  is  the  largest  institution  of  the  kind  in 
Japan.  The  castle  of  Fukuyama  sits  upon  a  high  hill 
overlooking  the  railroad  and  presents  a  striking  picture 
as  the  train  whirls  by.  In  gazing  on  its  frowning  battle- 
ments, great  walls  of  solid  masonry  and  picturesque 
donjon,  the  traveller  might  reasonably  imagine  that  a  leaf 
had  been  torn  from  the  banks  of  the  Rhine  and  planted 
in  the  heart  of  Japan.  The  Imperial  Railway  from  Oka- 
yama, until  it  reaches  Hiroshima,  leaves  the  seashore  and 
plunges  into  an  agricultural  country  of  low  hills,  with  the 
exception  of  a  short  glimpse  one  gets  of  the  sea  as  it 
skirts  along  the  shore  near  the  bustling  town  of  Onomichi, 
a  city  of  decaying  temples,  narrow  streets  and  enchanting 
sea  views.  The  Saikokuji  temple,  a  branch  of  the  great 
monastery  of  Koya-san,  built  of  huge  granite  blocks  which 
are  abundant  in  this  vicinity,  adds  much  to  the  interest 
of  the  visitor. 

Before  leaving  Onomichi,  a  Japanese  bride  and  groom 
24  [  369  ] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

entered  our  car,  bound  for  Shimonoseki  where  they  in- 
tended to  make  their  future  home.  The  bride  was  beauti- 
fully gowned  in  a  handsome  silk  kimono  bearing  upon 
its  collar  the  family  crest,  while  the  groom  was  attired 
in  the  conventional  frock  coat  and  silk  hat.  The  neck 
decoration  of  the  young  matron  was  particularly  attract- 
ive being  composed  of  light  colored  silk  material  laid  in 
folds  producing  rainbow  effects.  She  toyed  with  a  silk 
fan  decorated  with  lobsters,  no  doubt  one  of  her  wedding 
gifts.  The  lobster  is  emblematic  of  long  life  in  Japan 
and  is  always  introduced  as  a  part  of  the  wedding  feast. 
The  toast  to  the  bride  and  groom  is  "may  you  live  to 
such  an  age  that  your  back  may  become  as  crooked  as  the 
lobster's." 

The  seats  in  the  rear  of  the  car  were  arranged  length- 
wise, which  permitted  the  newly  married  pair  to  assume 
the  native  posture  and  perch  themselves  like  a  brace  of 
birds  on  the  top  of  the  seat,  where  they  appeared  as  happy 
as  a  couple  of  children  before  Christmas  Eve,  as  we  left 
the  train  at  Hiroshima. 

"The  general  ideas  of  Japanese  women,"  said  the 
Major,  "are  very  much  like  those  of  children  in  their 
love  for  simple  amusements  and  childish  pleasures.  Their 
education  in  the  arts  and  graces  of  courtesy  and  cere- 
mony is  very  pleasing  and  highly  appreciated  by  the  culti- 
vated stranger  who  sees  so  much  brusqueness  among  the 
Western  nations.  Japanese  women  never  become  inti- 
mate with  their  best  friends  but,  building  a  wall  of  ada- 
mant around  themselves  retire  within  it  upon  the  first 
touch  of  familiarity.  It  has  been  said  of  them  by  a 
distinguished  traveller  that  a  well-bred  Japanese  woman 
reminds  one  of  a  delicate  sea-anemone  which  at  the  first 
approach  of  a  rough  hand  shrinks  within  itself.  While 
timid  and  morbidly  sensitive,  they  are  filled  with  courage, 
self-reliance,  and  natural  pride." 

Except  among  the  working  classes  Japanese  women  take 
little  exercise  and  eat  like  birds,  pecking  at  food  as  it  were, 

[370] 


Japanese  woman  of  the  wealthy  class 


Sacred  temple,  Miyajima,  Japan 


rnnrT  nrtfT?' 


Hachiman  Temple,  Kamakura,  Japan 


KOBE  AND  ENVIRONMENT 

and  hence  there  should  be  no  wonder  that  they  are  so 
petite  and  slender.  The  meal  hour  is  extremely  irregular 
and  as  a  rule  little  food  is  kept  in  the  house.  The  shops 
near  by,  or  the  street  venders,  supply  the  daily  dishes 
which  are  purchased  in  quantities  only  sufficient  for  each 
meal.  Live  fish  are  hawked  around  the  streets  in  tubs 
and  the  venders  have  not  the  slightest  compunctions  in 
dividing  a  fish  for  a  purchaser,  casting  the  remaining 
stump  back  in  the  tub  where  it  wiggles  around  until  it 
dies. 

Housekeeping  among  the  wealthy  and  well-to-do  is  an 
easy  accomplishment  in  Japan  on  account  of  the  abundance 
of  well-trained  servants  and  the  cheapness  of  the  com- 
modities of  life.  The  markets  are  supplied  with  the 
finest  vegetables,  fruits,  eggs,  poultry,  and  meats  of  all 
kinds  at  remarkably  reasonable  rates.  The  Japanese 
house  occupied  by  the  ordinary  classes  is  a  little,  frame, 
one-story  building  with  sliding  partitions,  the  windows  cov- 
ered with  oil-paper  panes,  the  structure  resembling  some- 
what, with  its  red  and  gray  tiled  roof,  a  Swiss  chalet. 

Except  for  the  habache  or  brazier  their  homes  are  de- 
void of  heating  apparatus,  even  during  the  coldest  season 
of  the  year.  The  Japanese  housekeeper  is  immaculate  in 
her  attention  to  cleanliness,  it  being  a  part  of  her  religious 
cult,  and  no  doubt  if  placed  in  competition  in  that  regard 
would  sweep  away  forever  the  proud  pretentions  of  her 
New  England  sister.  The  tea-tray  is  always  on  hand  and 
a  Japanese  lady  is  seldom  seen  far  away  from  it  and  her 
little  pipe  which  holds  but  one  whiff  of  mild  tobacco. 

Like  the  Spartan  women  they  are  noted  for  courage, 
bravery,  and  self-possession,  qualities  exhibited  by  their 
sons  during  the  long  and  sanguinary  siege  before  Port 
Arthur.  In  the  book  on  the  "Greater  Learning  of 
Women,"  they  are  taught  to  look  upon  their  husbands  as 
superior  beings,  an  Oriental  idea,  and  to  avoid  the  five 
great  maladies  which  affect  the  female  mind,  namely: 
Indocility,    discontent,    slander,    jealousy,    and    silliness, 

[371] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

but  above  all,  to  avoid  the  latter  which  is  considered  the 
most  reprehensible  of  all  by  Japanese  men.  In  order  to 
cure  themselves  of  such  unfortunate  characteristics  they 
are  advised  to  undergo  frequent  self-inspection  and  self- 
reproach. 

Many  stories  are  told  illustrative  of  the  finer  qualities 
of  Japanese  womanhood,  among  which  may  be  mentioned 
the  following  historical  episode:  During  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  government  after  the  restoration  of  the  Em- 
peror, the  life  of  Count  Ito  was  threatened  by  a  faction 
which  resented  his  liberal  spirit  toward  foreign  nations. 
One  day  he  was  pursued  by  a  murderous  band  bent  on 
his  assassination  and  ran  into  the  house  of  an  ordinary 
peasant  woman.  Closely  pursued  by  the  murderers  and 
trapped  like  a  rat,  the  Count  drew  his  sword  and  pre- 
pared to  die  like  the  brave  soldier  that  he  was.  The 
poor  woman  recognizing  the  nobleman  and  realizing  his 
value  to  the  country,  in  an  instant  removed  the  firebox 
and  mats  in  the  centre  of  her  room  and,  lifting  the  plank 
cover  in  the  floor,  pushed  him  into  the  pit  below.  Until 
his  death,  more  than  fifty  years  afterwards,  the  Prince 
loved  to  dwell  upon  this  tragic  incident  which  would  have 
ended  his  life,  save  for  the  woman's  courage  and  presence 
of  mind.  She  became  a  pensioner  upon  his  bounty  for 
the  remainder  of  her  life. 

Another  story,  illustrating  a  Japanese  woman's  sense  of 
honor,  is  told  of  a  nobleman's  wife  whose  husband  had 
been  called  to  Yedo  by  order  of  the  shogun  early  in  the 
seventeenth  century.  During  his  absence  a  neighboring 
daimio  swooped  down  upon  his  castle  and  carried  off  his 
beautiful  wife  and  household  into  captivity  where  they 
were  held  for  several  months.  Several  years  later,  when 
the  incident  had  apparently  been  forgotten  and  friendly 
relations  again  established  between  the  belligerent  lords, 
the  lady  prevailed  on  her  husband  to  give  a  great  ban- 
quet to  which  the  base  knight  was  invited  with  the  other 
powerful  daimios  and  ladies  of  the  neighboring  provinces. 

[372] 


KOBE  AND  ENVIRONMENT 

The  sumptuous  entertainment  was  celebrated  on  the 
large  roof-garden  of  the  castle,  under  the  soft  light  of 
the  full  harvest  moon  the  brilliancy  of  which  was  long 
remembered  by  the  distinguished  guests  present  on  the 
night  of  that  dreadful  tragedy.  Away  to  the  south  could 
be  plainly  seen  the  towering  peak  of  the  peerless  Fuji,  as  its 
silvery  cone  vied  with  the  radiant  whiteness  of  the  fleecy 
clouds  among  which  it  appeared  to  float.  Off  to  the  east 
for  many  leagues  stretched  the  moonlit  bosom  of  the  isle- 
strewn  Inland  Sea,  while  fading  far  away  in  the  distance 
of  the  midnight  gloom  loomed  up  the  pine-clad  summit 
of  Sacred  Miyajima,  the  crowning  jewel  of  the  three  pic- 
turesque marvels  of  Dai-Nippon. 

During  the  height  of  the  banquet,  now  enlivened  by  the 
clink  of  crystal  and  sally  of  wit,  the  hostess  called  the 
attention  of  the  guests  and  rising  before  her  husband 
said,  "My  Noble  Lord  and  friends,  I  have  sought  in  vain 
with  heavy  heart  for  many  years  to  make  this  confession 
which  ends  my  life  to-night. 

"Our  great  teacher  Confucius,  has  taught  us  that  an 
unfaithful  servant  is  unworthy  to  live  under  the  same 
heaven  with  his  loyal  master.  During  my  captivity  in 
the  castle  of  yon  treacherous  lord  I  was  forced  to  break 
the  nuptial  vow  which  I  faithfully  made  on  the  morning 
of  my  marriage  in  the  presence  of  the  gods  of  our  ancient 
realm.  Believe  me,  my  lord,  I  would  have  then  ended 
my  days,  but  have  patiently  awaited  this  day,  the  hour 
of  retribution. 

"I  must  now  say  farewell  and  when  you  meet  me  on 
the  long  and  lonesome  road  of  death,  I  beg  you  tell  me 
that  my  sin  has  been  forgiven  and  the  stain  of  your 
dishonor  effaced  through  vengeance  on  our  common 
enemy. ' ' 

She  had  scarcely  finished  her  last  word,  when  rapidly 
ascending  the  parapet  she  flung  herself  to  the  earth  full 
eighty  feet  below.  The  ignoble  daimio  was  requested  to 
commit  hara-kiri  at  once,  and  just  before  drawing  the 

[373] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

keen  edge  of  the  fatal  blade,  said,  "My  Lords,  the  sen- 
tence is  just. ' ' 

"A  rather  sad  story,"  remarked  the  Judge,  "but  one 
which  exemplifies  a  national  characteristic  of  both  sexes." 

A  moment  later  the  buffet  attendant  announced  lunch 
and  the  Major's  gruesome  story  became  an  incident  of  the 
past. 


[374] 


CHAPTER  XXXV 

THE  JAPANESE  ARMY  AND  NAVY  —  THE  SACRED 
ISLAND  OF  JAPAN  — ADIOS 

The  Great  Naval  Arsenal  at  Kure  —  Plant  for  Guns 
and  Armor-Plate  —  The  Japanese  Navy  —  Prepara- 
tion op  Naval  Officers  —  The  Naval  College  on  the 
Island  of  Etajima  —  The  Japanese  Army  —  Reserves, 
Landwehr,  and  Landsturm  —  The  Education  and  Ap- 
pointment of  Army  Officers  —  Comparison  with  the 
American  Army  and  Navy  —  Hiroshima,  the  Great 
Military  Station  of  Japan  —  The  Methodist  Mission 
and  College  —  Hotels  and  Restaurants  —  Approach 
to  Miyajima  —  The  Sacred  Temple  and  Torii  —  The 
Iwaso  Hotel  and  Nesan  Attendants  — A  Hero  of 
Port  Arthur  —  The  Unhappy  Widow  —  Arrival  in 
Shimonoseki  —  Farewell  to  Japan. 

A  FEW  miles  west  of  Hiroshima,"  said  the  Major, 
"after  we  had  finished  lunch  and  lighted  a  cigar 
'Manila,'  we  reached  Kaidaichj,  the  railway  gateway 
to  Japan's  greatest  dockyards  and  naval  arsenal,  which 
are  located  at  Kure  ten  or  fifteen  miles  south  of  the  main 
Imperial  line.  This  great  naval  station  is  situated  on  the 
shore  of  an  impregnable  harbor  which  juts  well  up  into 
the  mainland  and  lies  opposite  the  islands  of  Etajima  and 
Kurahashi.  The  main  harbor  is  entered  from  the  Inland 
Sea  through  three  narrow  and  tortuous  channels,  securely 
protected  against  a  foreign  fleet  by  powerful  concealed 
batteries  as  well  as  a  torpedo  system  during  actual  war- 
fare. 

[375] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

"The  Imperial  Naval  College  is  located  on  the  island 
of  Etajima,  thus  affording  the  cadets  an  excellent  oppor- 
tunity to  observe  practical  ship-building,  gun-making,  and 
the  complex  work  connected  with  the  arsenal  in  general. 
I  regret  very  much  that,  owing  to  our  limited  time,  we 
shall  be  unable  to  run  down  there  for  a  few  days  before 
leaving  Japan.  I  understand  that  many  important 
changes,  with  great  improvements,  have  been  made  since 
my  last  visit  which  was  just  prior  to  the  war  with  Russia. 

"The  foundation  of  the  naval  station  at  Kure  was 
laid  in  1894  and  the  site  selected,  no  doubt,  on  account 
of  the  excellence  of  its  harbor  and  inaccessibility  to 
foreign  fleets  in  time  of  war.  Moreover,  the  convenience 
of  its  proximity  to  Hiroshima,  the  greatest  military  gar- 
rison in  Japan,  adds  greatly  to  the  advantages  of  its 
location.  Hiroshima  was  selected  as  the  principal  ship- 
ping point  for  troops  during  the  war  with  Russia,  as  well 
as  the  site  for  the  great  hospitals  which  cared  for  the  sick 
and  wounded  returning  from  Port  Arthur  and  the  san- 
guinary battle-fields  of  Manchuria. 

"The  arsenal  grounds  cover  upwards  of  a  hundred 
acres  and  contain  tremendous  plants  for  the  manufacture 
of  armor-plate,  naval  guns,  and  projectiles  of  all  sizes 
up  to  twelve  inches.  Long  before  the  visitor  reaches  the 
scenes  of  this  great  activity  he  will  be  greeted  by  the 
noise  of  the  great  hammers,  the  immense  cranes  and  ele- 
vators, which  rear  their  proud  heads,  and  the  thick  vol- 
umes of  smoke  that  obscure  the  sky.  The  grounds  contain 
shops  for  boring,  turning,  finishing,  tempering,  and 
shrinking,  for  the  manufacture  of  projectiles  and  car- 
tridge cases,  carpenter  and  pattern  shops,  torpedo  and 
submarine  shops,  machine  and  gun-mounting  shops,  labora- 
tories, stores,  proving  butts,  etc.  The  armor-plate  contains 
open-hearth  furnaces,  gas  producers,  forges  containing 
a  10,000-ton  hydraulic  press  and  rollers,  with  their 
necessary  machine  shops,  cementation  shops,  drawing 
rooms,  stores,  etc.     With  the  dockyard  and  arsenal  facili- 

[376] 


JAPANESE  ARMY  AND  NAVY 

ties  at  Kure,  Japan  can  build,  arm,  and  equip  the  largest 
dreadnaughts  known  to  modern  naval  science  with  native 
brains  and  labor  alone. 

"The  government  has  divided  the  coast  into  five  naval 
districts,  with  headquarters  at  Yokohama,  Kure,  Sasebo, 
Maizuru,  and  Muroran,  all  of  which,  except  the  latter, 
are  provided  with  dockyards  and  ordnance  depots.  Until 
recently  the  dockyard  at  Yokosuka,  which  is  the  oldest  in 
Japan,  was  the  most  important  in  the  empire,  and  still 
maintains  great  activity.  It  has  four  dockyards  and  is 
capable  of  building  first-class  battle-ships.  The  grounds 
at  Yokosuka  cover  seventy  acres  and  the  shops  give  con- 
stant employment  to  6,000  men.  Since  the  recent  war 
with  Russia,  Japan  has  added  the  dockyard  at  Port 
Arthur  to  the  list  and  very  recently,  one  on  the  coast  of 
Korea. 

"Although  the  Japanese  Empire  has  a  navy  scarcely 
second  to  that  of  the  United  States,  Germany,  or  France, 
she  is  at  work,  both  night  and  day,  in  the  construction 
of  some  of  the  most  formidable  battle-ships  known  to 
modern  science.  Whether  these  preparations  are  simply 
made  to  maintain  the  concordat  of  armed  neutrality  among 
the  powers  of  the  East,  or  to  cast  the  gantlet  at  the  feet 
of  some  restraining  rival,  are  problems  which  time  alone 
can  solve. 

"The  present  strength  of  Japan's  navy  is  as  follows :  mod- 
ern battle-ships  15,  armored  cruisers,  first-class,  13,  pro- 
tected cruisers  18,  submarines  10,  torpedo-gunboats  and 
scouts  6,  destroyers  54,  torpedo  boats  50,  and  an  auxiliary 
navy  of  75  subsidized  steamers  belonging  to  the  Nippon 
Yusen  Kaisha.  Under  construction  or  approved  by  the 
government,  4  modern  dreadnaughts,  2  armored  cruisers,  8 
destroyers,  45  torpedo  boats  and  7  submarines.  Besides  the 
vessels  belonging  to  the  modern  fleet,  Japan  possesses  68 
old  war-ships,  some  of  which  until  recently  belonged  to 
the  active  fleet.  The  tonnage  of  the  modern  navy  amounts 
to  476,630  tons,  with  735  guns  of  from  3.937  to  12  inches 

[377] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

in  calibre.  Japan  relies  greatly  on  her  destroyers  and  pos- 
sesses one  of  the  strongest  fleets  of  this  class  of  vessels 
in  the  world.  Some  of  her  greatest  naval  triumphs  during 
the  recent  engagements  with  the  Russian  fleet  were  achieved 
through  the  daring  and  efficiency  of  their  destroyer  com- 
manders. 

"The  line  officers  of  the  Japanese  navy  are  educated 
at  the  Imperial  Naval  College  on  the  Island  of  Etajima, 
after  a  three-years'  course  in  seamanship,  navigation, 
higher  mathematics,  English,  physics,  chemistry,  gunnery, 
and  torpedoes,  steam  engineering,  etc.  Appointment  as 
cadet  is  made  on  the  order  of  our  naval  cadets  to  Annapo- 
lis, through  a  competitive  examination  in  studies  equiva- 
lent to  the  curriculum  of  the  middle  schools,  which  about 
equals  that  of  our  grammar  schools.  Applicants  must  be 
between  the  ages  of  sixteen  and  twenty  years  to  secure 
appointment  and,  besides,  pass  a  successful  physical  exam- 
ination. The  government  provides  amply  for  all  educa- 
tional and  living  expenses  connected  with  cadet  life  and 
gives  a  commission  on  graduation. 

"Medical  students  are  selected  for  appointment  to  the 
Naval  Medical  College  after  a  competitive  examination  and 
commissioned  as  medical  officers  in  the  navy  after  passing 
a  satisfactory  examination  at  the  college.  Graduates  of 
the  National  Medical  Schools  or  foreign  universities  are 
also  admitted  into  the  navy  provided  they  pass  a  satis- 
factory examination  before  an  exacting  board  of  naval 
surgeons. 

"Paymasters,  naval  constructors,  ordnance  and  hydro- 
graphical  engineers  are  prepared  in  special  schools  of 
training  organized  by  the  government  and  commissioned 
in  those  departments  after  satisfactory  physical  and  pro- 
fessional examinations.  Besides  the  schools  above  men- 
tioned, various  schools  for  training  officers  and  men  in  tor- 
pedo work,  gunnery,  engineering,  and  other  special  duties 
have  been  organized  as  the  Naval  Staff  College. 

"Promotion  to  the  various  grades  is  made  entirely  by 
[378] 


JAPANESE  ARMY  AND  NAVY 

selection  and  the  list  of  candidates  deserving  this  consid- 
eration is  decided  upon  by  the  Board  of  Admirals  which 
meets  yearly.  During  the  session  of  the  board  commanders 
of  naval  stations  and  squadrons,  with  the  senior  officers 
of  the  different  branches,  such  as  medical,  engineers,  con- 
structors, etc.,  are  summoned.  The  Minister  of  Marine 
occupies  the  position  of  president  of  the  board. 

"The  retiring  age  for  naval  officers  in  the  Japanese 
service  is  as  follows:  Admiral  68  years,  vice-admirals  63, 
rear-admirals  58,  captains  53,  captains,  junior  grade  48, 
commanders  45,  lieutenants  43,  lieutenants,  junior  grade 
and  sub-lieutenants  38,  chief  gunners  and  boatswains  51, 
ordinary  gunners  and  boatswains  48.  All  officers  are  re- 
tired five  years  after  being  placed  on  the  reserve  list. 

"Since  I  have  given  you  a  brief  outline  of  the  Japanese 
navy,"  continued  the  Major,  "I  may  as  well  add  a  short 
description  of  the  army  which  gave  such  an  excellent  ac- 
count of  itself  before  Port  Arthur  and  at  Mukden.  The 
army  of  Japan  is  divided  into  the  Active  Forces,  Reserve, 
Landwehr  and  Landsturm,  an  organization  very  similar  to 
that  of  Germany.  Military  service  is  also  compulsory, 
although  the  liability  for  call  only  begins  at  seventeen 
years,  while  the  actual  service  does  not  begin  before 
twenty,  except  for  those  who  desire  to  enter  at  the  mini- 
mum age  of  seventeen  years. 

"Examination  for  conscription  is  held  annually  and  the 
conscripts  divided  into  two  classes,  'the  fit'  and  'the  abso- 
lutely fit.'  Those  necessary  to  preserve  the  fixed  number 
on  the  active  list  are  taken  from  'the  absolutely  fit,'  while 
the  remainder  of  'the  fit  and  absolutely  fit'  unnecessary 
for  active  service  enter  the  reserves.  Active  service  for 
infantry  lasts  only  two  years,  while  in  the  other  branches 
it  lasts  three  years.  At  the  conclusion  of  active  service 
the  men  are  transferred  to  the  reserve  forces,  where  they 
remain  an  additional  four  years  and  four  months.  During 
reserve  service,  they  are  called  into  active  training  on  two 
occasions  of  sixty  days  each. 

[379] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

"Having  completed  seven  years  and  four  months  in  the 
active  and  reserve  forces  they  pass  into  the  Landwehr, 
where  they  serve  ten  years,  with  two  training  periods 
during  that  service  of  sixty  days  each.  At  the  end  of 
service  in  the  Landwehr,  as  a  rule  the  men  have  reached 
about  the  thirty-eighth  year,  and  become  Landsturm,  with 
two  years  and  eight  months  service  in  that  branch,  before 
completing  their  entire  military  career.  The  excess  of  an- 
nual conscripts  who  are  not  needed  for  the  active  list  pass 
into  the  reserve  and  have  seven  years  and  four  months  in 
that  branch,  during  which  they  are  called  out  three  times 
for  training,  the  first  period  for  ninety  days,  the  remaining 
periods  for  sixty  days  each.  After  reserve  service  these 
men  also  pass  into  the  Landwehr  and  Landsturm,  like  those 
who  have  had  active  service. 

"The  army  is  divided  into  nineteen  divisions,  the  first  of 
which  is  known  as  the  Imperial  Guards  and  possesses  a 
stronger  organization  than  the  remaining  eighteen.  Be- 
sides the  nineteen  divisions  there  are  two  independent  cav- 
alry brigades,  three  independent  field  artillery  brigades 
of  twelve  battalions  each,  three  independent  divisions  of 
mountain  guns  and  four  extra  regiments  of  heavy  field 
artillery  of  twenty-four  guns  each.  To  each  division  is 
attached  a  brigade  of  Landwehr,  making  three  brigades 
or  eighteen  battalions  to  each  division.  The  Imperial 
Guards  division  consists  of  four  regiments  of  infantry, 
three  regiments  of  cavalry,  three  regiments  of  field  artil- 
lery, one  battalion  of  engineers,  one  railway  regiment, 
one  telegraph  battalion  and  balloon  section,  one  train  bat- 
talion, four  infantry  and  four  ambulance  columns,  six 
field  hospitals,  four  general  supply  columns  and  one 
remount  depot.  All  of  the  remaining  divisions  have  four 
regiments  of  infantry,  but  vary  in  the  strength  of  cavalry, 
field  artillery',  heavy  field  artillery,  engineer  battalions, 
etc. 

"The  military  forces  are  grouped  into  armies  consisting 
of  from  three  to  five  divisions  and  numbering  from  80,000 

[  380  ] 


JAPANESE  ARMY  AND  NAVY 

to  130,000  men.  The  total  active  strength,  including  the 
reserves,  amounts  to  600,000  men.  In  time  of  war  they 
can  mobilize  800,000  fighting  men  in  the  active  and  reserve 
lists,  and  possibly  1,200,000  more  in  the  Landwehr  and 
Landsturm.  The  infantry  and  cavalry  troops  are  armed 
with  the  latest  improved  Arisaka  rifle  and  carbine  which 
has  a  calibre  of  .256  of  an  inch  and  a  muzzle  velocity  of 
2,378  feet  per  second. 

"Officers  are  appointed  from  the  graduates  of  the  Cen- 
tral Military  Preparatory  School  and  from  those  who  have 
graduated  from  government  or  other  recognized  schools 
and  pass  an  entrance  examination.  Paymasters  are  ap- 
pointed from  lieutenants  or  sub-lieutenants  who  have  taken 
the  course  in  the  Paymasters'  School,  or  in  addition,  taken 
instruction  at  the  College  of  Laws,  Imperial  Universities 
or  higher  commercial  schools.  Medical  officers  are  ap- 
pointed from  graduates  of  the  Military  Medical  School, 
Colleges  of  Medicine  of  the  Imperial  Universities  and  grad- 
uates of  foreign  medical  schools  of  equal  standing.  The 
Japanese  government  has  organized  a  Staff  College  and  a 
number  of  military  training  schools  for  its  army  officers, 
among  which  may  be  mentioned  the  Artillery  and  En- 
gineering School,  Military  Riding  School,  Military  Pay- 
masters' School,  Military  Field  Artillery  Shooting  School 
and  schools  for  gunners,  mechanics,  veterinarians, 
bandsmen,    etc. 

"There  are  14  generals,  32  lieutenant-generals  and  88 
major-generals,  besides  a  number  of  general  officers  of  high 
rank  among  the  heads  of  bureaus  and  departments.  There 
are  also  154  infantry  colonels,  13  cavalry  colonels,  35  field 
artillery  colonels,  16  colonels  of  engineers,  5  train  colonels 
and  a  corresponding  number  of  medical  and  intendant  of- 
ficers of  the  same  rank.  In  conclusion  I  may  add  that  in 
no  army  in  the  world  is  there  more  military  zeal  or  patri- 
otism, braver  and  better  fighters,  less  intoxication,  fewer 
courts-martial  and  desertions  and  less  regard  for  death 
under  fire,  than  in  the  Japanese. 

[381] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

"It  is  said  that  comparisons  are  odious,  nevertheless  it 
might  be  interesting  to  compare  our  naval  and  military- 
strength  with  that  of  Japan.  The  United  States  navy 
at  present  is  made  up  of  26  battle-ships,  of  all  classes,  10 
armored  cruisers,  5  cruisers  first-class,  6  cruisers  second- 
class,  13  cruisers  third-class,  32  torpedo-boats,  21  destroy- 
ers, 15  submarines  and  3  scout  cruisers.  Besides  these 
there  are  under  construction  or  proposal  6  battleships,  13 
destroyers  and  9  submarines.  From  the  above  figures  it 
will  be  seen  that  we  are  superior  at  present  to  the  Japanese 
in  modern  battle-ships,  possessing  26  to  their  15;  slightly 
superior  in  armored  and  protected  cruisers,  34  to  31,  but 
far  behind  them  in  torpedo  boats  and  destroyers,  having 
but  53  in  our  navy  against  104  in  theirs.  It  will  also  be 
noted  that  the  Japanese  are  building  45  new  torpedo  boats 
while  we  are  building  none. 

"The  great  disparity  between  our  present  military 
strength  and  that  of  Japan  is  worthy  of  special  considera- 
tion in  view  of  the  frequent  journalistic  rumors  of  war. 
It  is  a  well-known  fact  among  military  and  public  men 
in  the  United  States,  that  our  combined  forces  at  present, 
regular  and  state  troops,  number  less  than  200,000  men. 
Moreover,  it  is  well  known  that  the  United  States  could 
not  enroll,  drill,  equip,  and  mobilize  an  army  of  500,000 
men  under  six  months,  while  Japan  could  put  into  the 
field  in  less  than  two  weeks  2,000,000  well  drilled  and 
equipped  professional  soldiers,  and  has  besides  a  subsi- 
dized fleet  of  seventy-five  large  commercial  steamers  on 
hand  to  transport  them,  while  our  government  has  none 
beyond  a  few  transports." 

As  the  Major  was  finishing  his  brief  account  of  Japan's 
military  and  naval  services,  our  train  reached  Hiroshima, 
bo  conspicuous  for  its  activity  during  the  recent  war  with 
Russia.  The  town  is  beautifully  located  on  the  banks  of 
the  Ota  River  under  the  protection  of  high  and  pictur- 
esque hills.  Three  miles  distant  lies  the  harbor  of  Ujina 
on  the  Inland  Sea,  from  which  port  most  of  the  Japanese 

[382] 


JAPANESE  ARMY  AND  NAVY 

army  sailed  to  participate  in  the  campaigns  of  Port  Arthur 
and  Manchuria. 

The  principal  points  of  interest  to  the  visitor  are  the 
old  castle,  barracks  and  grounds,  the  noted  landscape  gar- 
den formerly  belonging  to  the  Asano  family,  the  public 
park,  a  few  temples,  and  the  Methodist  Mission  College. 
The  Emperor  took  up  his  residence  in  the  old  castle  during 
the  wars  with  China  in  1894r-5  and  Russia  1904^5  in  order 
to  be  near  the  scene  of  action.  Although  the  city  is  very 
old,  having  been  founded  before  the  days  of  Kiyomori  to 
whom  it  belonged  in  the  twelfth  century,  it  presents  quite 
a  modern  appearance  to-day,  especially  in  the  shopping 
district. 

During  our  visit  to  the  city  we  had  the  pleasure  of  meet- 
ing two  of  the  Methodist  missionaries,  Messrs.  Moseley 
and  Myers,  who  obtained,  permission  for  us  to  visit  the 
military  garrison  and  large  general  hospitals.  The  men's 
quarters  were  two-story  buildings,  very  much  on  the 
order  of  many  of  the  less  modern  barracks  occupied  by 
our  troops  at  home.  They  were  provided  with  comfortable 
cots  and  mattresses,  good  wholesome  food,  and  the  ordi- 
nary comforts  of  life.  The  men  were  well-clothed  and  ap- 
peared robust  and  happy. 

The  officers  were  polite  and  obliging  in  conducting  us 
through  all  of  the  principal  buildings  of  the  garrison,  espe- 
cially the  men's  quarters,  kitchens,  mess  rooms,  guard 
house,  and  hospitals.  The  ration  consists  of  rice,  meat, 
fish,  vegetables,  and  tea,  while  the  officers  on  duty  with  the 
troops  mess  in  a  casino  practically  on  European  diet.  We 
were  escorted  through  the  regimental  infirmaries  and  gen- 
eral hospital,  and  while  we  found  the  wards  neat  and  com- 
fortable, nothing  was  observed  in  the  way  of  hospital  ar- 
rangement or  methods  of  caring  for  the  sick  superior  to 
those  employed  in  our  army  hospitals. 

Much  has  been  written  concerning  the  great  superiority 
of  the  Japanese  medical  corps  as  demonstrated  during  the 
war  with  Russia,  not  only  in  the  field  but  in  their  general 

[383] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

hospitals.  The  Japanese  have  no  advantage  over  our  med- 
ical service,  either  in  professional  skill  or  field  equipment. 
In  fact  I  doubt  very  much  whether  their  medical  officers 
are  as  well  prepared  professionally  as  ours,  or  provided 
with  as  modern  and  practical  field  equipment.  I  am  un- 
willing to  admit  their  superiority  in  that  most  important 
duty  of  the  medical  officer,  camp  and  military  hygiene,  of 
which  so  much  was  said  during  their  field  service. 

I  will  agree,  however,  that  Japanese  division  command- 
ers and  line  officers  generally,  as  well  as  the  rank  and  file, 
appreciate  and  apply  hygienic  rules  more  intelligently  than 
the  officers  and  men  of  our  army.  There  is  better  disci- 
pline in  the  Japanese  army  than  in  ours,  possibly  because 
for  centuries  they  have  been  taught  to  respect  and  obey 
their  superiors  and  hence  consider  disobedience  to  officers, 
sanitary  or  otherwise,  disloyalty  to  the  government.  It 
was  for  this  reason  that  their  great  armies  escaped  those 
fatal  camp  diseases  which  will  continue  to  decimate  Ameri- 
can troops  in  the  field  as  long  as  our  officers  do  not  enforce 
and  the  men  will  defy,  the  common  laws  of  camp  hygiene 
and  sanitation. 

The  Methodist  Missionary  College  was  founded  a  quarter 
of  a  century  ago  and  began  as  a  circle  for  the  instruction 
of  young  Japanese  women  in  cooking,  sewing,  housekeep- 
ing, and  Bible  study.  The  original  site  of  the  school  was 
a  small  room  wedged  in  between  Buddhist  temples  and  a 
cemetery.  The  college*  has  now  grown  into  a  spacious  com- 
pound with  buildings  sufficient  to  accommodate  600  pu- 
pils. Miss  Gaines,  a  Southern  woman  of  fine  type  and 
splendid  character,  has  charge  of  this  magnificent  insti- 
tution which  has  proven  such  a  God-send  to  the  many  thou- 
sands of  young  women  of  Hiroshima  and  surrounding 
provinces,  who  have  become  educated  and  Christianized 
through  its  influences. 

It  will  no  doubt  strike  the  American  public  as  remark- 
able that  the  small  sum  of  seven  yen,  or  three  and  a  half 
dollars,  is  all  that  Miss  Gaines  requires  monthly  from  each 

[384] 


JAPANESE  ARMY  AND  NAVY 

student  for  board,  tuition,  books,  laundry,  and  a  comfort- 
able home,  besides  educating  one  hundred  pupils  on  the 
free  list.  I  know  of  no  missionary  school  or  college  in  the 
Far  East  doing  better  work,  or  more  intelligently  and  eco- 
nomically administered.  It  may  be  of  interest  to  the  read- 
ing public  to  learn  that  the  charming  little  story  of  "The 
Lady  of  the  Decoration"  was  written  while  the  author 
was  one  of  the  teachers  there. 

Hiroshima  is  one  of  the  progressive  and  bustling  cities 
of  Japan,  with  a  population  of  125,000  and  superior  busi- 
ness opportunities  on  account  of  its  great  military  garrison 
and  location  near  the  Port  of  Ujina.  In  spite  of  these  ad- 
vantages, however,  it  is  far  behind  other  smaller  and  less 
prominent  towns  in  hotel  accommodations  for  its  foreign 
visitors.  Among  the  hotels  which  make  an  effort  to  secure 
the  foreign  tourist  trade  may  be  mentioned  the  Mizoguchi, 
which  caters  as  well  to  native  travellers.  The  business 
men  of  the  city  would  find  it  to  their  interest  to  organize 
a  company  for  the  construction  of  a  modern  hotel  on  Amer- 
ican lines  there.  There  is  no  doubt  but  that  many  of  the 
foreign  visitors  to  Japan  would  spend  a  day  or  two  in  this 
quaint  city  were  there  suitable  hotel  provisions.  The  man- 
ager of  the  Mizoguchi,  where  we  stayed,  informed  us  that 
European  dishes  were  becoming  very  popular  with  the  bet- 
ter class  of  Japanese,  and  that  many  of  the  cafes  and 
restaurants  of  the  city  were  catering  to  the  modern  taste 
in  the  way  of  American  dishes. 

From  the  rear  windows  of  our  rooms  facing  the  street 
along  the  front  of  the  Ota  River,  several  brilliantly  lighted 
restaurants,  with  native  banquets  in  progress,  were  pointed 
out  where  the  menu  was  a  la  European.  Owing  to  the  in- 
creasing numbers  of  Japanese  gentlemen  who  have  recently 
become  Epicureans  of  the  Western  school,  it  is  rare  to  re- 
main long  at  any  of  the  best  hotels  in  the  empire  without 
noticing  these  functions,  given  either  for  social  or  political 
reasons. 

The  distance  from  Hiroshima  by  rail  to  the  station  of 
25  [  385  ] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

Miyajima  requires  a  short  hour,  and  the  Sacred  Island 
from  there  may  be  reached  in  fifteen  minutes  by  means  of 
a  small  steam  ferry.  Should  the  traveller  desire  to  make 
the  trip  he  may  take  ricksha  to  the  Port  of  Ujina  over  a 
most  delightful  road  and  ferry  from  that  point  to  the  is- 
land. Miyajima,  the  Sacred  Island,  the  crowning  gem  of 
the  trinity  of  Japan's  three  marvels  of  beauty,  is  unques- 
tionably the  most  popular  place  of  pilgrimage  for  the  na- 
tives and  point  of  interest  for  foreign  visitors,  in  the 
empire. 

It  may  be  reached  either  from  Shimonoseki  or  Kobe  by 
means  of  slow,  coasting  steamers,  engaged  in  trade  along 
the  busy  towns  of  the  Inland  Sea.  Enough  has  been  said 
in  previous  chapters  regarding  the  wonders  and  beauties 
of  that  famous  sea  to  excite  a  desire  in  the  bosom  of  every 
lover  of  nature  to  sail  through  the  mazes  of  its  tortuous 
and  bewildering  channel.  From  Kobe  the  voyage  is  made 
in  a  night  and  a  day,  the  steamer  making  frequent  stops 
among  the  village-strewn  shores,  to  discharge  cargo  or  em- 
bark passengers. 

Approaching  by  sea,  the  Sacred  Island  may  be  discovered 
from  a  great  distance  by  means  of  its  towering  pine-clad 
peak,  which,  like  a  giant  sentinel,  watches  over  the  holy 
torii  and  temple  at  its  base.  According  to  accepted  tra- 
dition Miyajima  became  famous  during  the  reign  of  the 
Empress  Suiko,  593  a.d.,  from  which  period  the  site  of  the 
old  temple  dates,  although  the  name  of  the  island  is  derived 
from  the  eldest  daughter  of  Susa-no-o,  one  of  the  three 
Shinto  goddesses  who  floated  into  the  island  ages  before 
that  time. 

The  great  temple  of  Miyajima  enjoys  a  world-wide  rep- 
utation on  account  of  its  construction  over  the  sea,  where 
it  rests  on  piles.  The  famous  red  torii,  the  picture  of 
which  has  become  so  familiar  through  Japanese  lacquer, 
carvings,  and  art,  stands  out  some  distance  in  the  water 
in  front  of  the  temple,  which  it  seems  to  guard  with  jeal- 
ous care.     So  wonderfully  was  the  artistic  marine  effect 

[386] 


Famous  Dai-kutsu  of  Kamakura,  Japan 


Donjon,  wall,  and  moat,  Castle  of  Osaka,  Japan 


JAPANESE  ARMY  AND  NAVY 

studied  by  the  genius  who  originally  conceived  its  loca- 
tion, that  the  entire  structure  appears  to  float  like  a  dream 
on  the  surface  of  the  water  at  high  tide.  The  magical 
effect  is  greatly  enhanced  during  moonlit  festivals,  when 
the  corridors,  650  feet  long,  are  brilliantly  illuminated  by 
the  hundreds  of  temple  lanterns  which  line  their  facades. 
Among  the  treasures  of  the  temple  are  many  old  pictures 
by  famous  artists. 

The  traveller  should  not  fail  to  visit  the  Hall  of  a  Thou- 
sand Mats  which  stands  on  an  eminence  to  the  right  of 
the  great  temple.  This  building  was  built  by  Hideyoshi, 
it  is  said,  from  the  lumber  of  a  single  great  camphor  tree. 
It  served  as  a  council  chamber  in  the  sixteenth  century 
during  the  expedition  to  Korea.  During  the  war  with 
China  some  of  the  soldiers  hung  their  rice  ladles  on  the 
walls  to  bring  them  good  luck,  a  fashion  which  has  been  fol- 
lowed ever  since  by  native  visitors,  so  that  to-day  the  in- 
terior of  the  building  is  decorated  from  floor  to  ceiling  with 
this  useful  eating  utensil. 

Those  who  have  the  time  and  endurance  to  ascend  to 
the  summit  of  the  island  will  be  rewarded  with  one  of  the 
grandest  marine  views  in  the  world,  for  nowhere  does  the 
marvellous  beauty  of  the  Inland  Sea  show  to  better  advan- 
tage. The  great  temples  of  former  days  which  crowned 
the  summit  have  gone,  but  the  sacred  fire  lighted  by  Saint 
Kobo  Daishi  centuries  ago  continues  to  burn.  On  other 
portions  of  the  island  the  government  has  planted  heavy 
sea-fortifications,  which  are  concealed  from  view  and  not 
accessible  to  foreigners. 

The  beauty  of  the  curving  shores  near  the  great  temple 
has  been  increased  by  avenues  of  mighty  cryptomerias  and 
fantastic  pines,  lined  with  rows  of  large  stone  lanterns, 
where  gentle  deer  stray  at  will,  and  with  beseeching  eyes, 
elicit  from  sympathetic  strangers  little  cakes,  sold  at  the 
near-by  stands.  In  the  little  bay  of  the  island  close  to  the 
shore  lies  the  village  of  about  a  thousand  souls,  who  are 
engaged  principally  as  proprietors  of  native  inns  or  curio 

[387] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

shops.  Unless  he  guards  well  his  pocketbook  the  visitor 
will  soon  discover,  in  lieu  thereof,  a  quantity  of  beautiful 
lacquers,  trays,  carvings,  and  other  curios,  which  become 
burdensome  in  the  way  of  baggage.  In  accordance  with  an 
ancient  religious  custom,  births  and  deaths  are  forbidden 
on  the  island  and  it  is  still  customary  to  send  expectant 
mothers  away  thirty  days  in  advance  of  the  event.  While 
patients  in  extremis  are  no  longer  removed,  the  dead  are 
sent  at  once  across  the  strait  to  the  mainland  where  the 
principal  mourners  are  obliged  to  remain  fifty  days  for 
ceremonial  purification. 

The  contrast  between  the  popularity  of  Miyajima  as  a 
resort  for  foreigners  and  the  number  of  hotels  prepared 
to  receive  them  will,  no  doubt,  strike  the  traveller  soon 
after  arrival.  Except  the  Mikado,  which  is  under  the  ad- 
ministration of  the  Mikado  in  Kobe,  there  is  no  European 
or  American  hotel  on  the  island.  It  is  true  there  is  a  large 
number  of  native  inns  which  cater  to  foreign  travel,  prom- 
inent among  which  may  be  mentioned  the  Iwaso.  This  de- 
lightful hostelry,  which  enticed  us  within  its  fold,  lies 
some  little  distance  from  the  village  in  a  picturesque  gorge 
through  which  courses  a  brisk  mountain  stream.  Its  com- 
pound contains  a  large  casino  and  a  number  of  small  one- 
story  cottages  furnished  in  Japanese  style.  The  interior 
of  these  dainty  little  apartments  is  finished  in  polished 
natural  woods,  and  the  floors  covered  with  thick,  elastic, 
native  mats,  which  form  carpet  as  well  as  bed.  The  re- 
mainder of  the  furniture  consisted  of  low  tables,  six  inches 
high,  and  several  bent-wood  chairs,  the  latter  no  doubt  in- 
troduced out  of  deference  to  our  nationality.  I  should 
fail  in  my  description  were  I  to  omit  the  two  Tcakemonas 
on  the  wall  representing  a  temple  procession  and  a  marine 
view,  and  the  scroll  over  the  front  door,  containing  four 
large  gilt  Japanese  letters,  which  doubtlessly  signified  that 
familiar  motto,  oft  seen  in  humble  American  abodes,  "God 
bless  our  Home.,, 

A  stone  wall  covered  with  red  tile  separated  our  com- 
[388] 


JAPANESE  ARMY  AND  NAVY 

pound  from  the  mountain-side  and  enclosed  a  beautiful 
native  garden  with  tiny  mountains,  valleys,  grottoes,  tem- 
ple lanterns,  and  handsome  flowering  shrubs,  besides  ma- 
ple, cherry,  and  plum  trees.  Through  the  centre  of  the 
grounds  in  a  deep  romantic  gorge  ran  a  friendly,  chatter- 
ing little  brook,  chanting  and  singing  a  musical  lyric  as  it 
coursed  its  way  to  the  sea,  probably  in  commemoration 
of  the  three  legendary  goddesses  who  came  to  the  island 
thousands  of  years  ago. 

Our  little  cottage  was  attended  by  daintily  attired 
maidens,  in  native  costume  and  sandals  which  were  left 
upon  the  sill  whenever  they  entered  the  house.  Unfortu- 
nately our  arrival  was  celebrated  by  constant  showers  which 
kept  us  within  doors  but  in  no  wise  dampened  the  ardor 
of  the  little  nesans,  who  made  at  least  twenty  visits  during 
the  day  under  their  purple-colored  umbrellas  with  large 
black  ribs,  and  never  came  empty-handed.  m 

While  sitting  on  the  floor  in  true  native  fashion  and 
passing  the  time  away  in  drinking  numberless  cups  of  tea 
and  eating  the  cakes  and  candied  fruit  supplied  by  our 
faithful  attendants,  the  native  proprietor  entered.  Our 
polite  host  had  lived  in  America  and  spoke  English  very 
well.  On  learning  that  we  were  Americans  from  the  Phil- 
ippines and  connected  with  the  army,  he  told  us  that  he 
had  been  summoned  home  when  war  was  declared  against 
Russia  and  had  participated  in  the  siege  of  Port  Arthur. 

"One  night,"  he  said,  "our  battalion,  which  was  lying 
in  the  trenches  under  the  brow  of  203  Metre  Hill,  was  or- 
dered to  drive  the  Russians  from  its  crest.  The  attack  was 
made  at  midnight,  under  the  cover  of  darkness.  We  were 
driven  back  into  the  trenches  after  the  entire  battalion,  ex- 
cept myself  and  ten  men,  were  killed,  among  them  my 
brother,  the  husband  of  little  Fuchia  who  is  sitting  on  your 
right." 

When  her  husband's  name  was  mentioned  the  little  wid- 
owed matron  arose  and  went  to  the  window  which  faced 
the  north  and  stood  as  if  transfixed,  with  eyes  turned  in 

[389] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

the  direction  of  Port  Arthur,  where  all  that  was  mortal  of 
her  youthful  husband  lay  mouldering  among  the  unknown 
dead.  When  she  left  the  room  a  few  minutes  later,  her 
customary  smile  had  vanished,  but  a  peaceful  expression 
of  quiet  resignation  had  taken  its  place.  Little  Fuchia  is 
but  one  of  the  untold  thousands  of  Japanese  women  whose 
husbands,  fathers,  brothers,  and  lovers  were  sacrificed 
in  defence  of  home  and  country,  like  their  noble  sisters  of 
the  North  and  South,  in  America,  a  half-century  ago. 

When  we  awoke  the  following  morning,  the  sun  was 
brightly  shining  and  all  nature  smiling  in  glad  relief. 
"A  good  omen  of  exit  from  Japan,' '  said  the  Major,  who 
still  retained  a  lingering  memory  of  Ikuta's  sacred  temple 
and  the  holy  dice  box.  ''Ring  down  the  curtain,  the  play 
is  over." 

At  7:30  that  evening,  after  a  five  and  a  half  hours'  jour- 
ney, we  reached  Shimonoseki,  where  we  found  the  little 
steamer  waiting  to  transport  us  across  the  Sea  of  Japan 
to  the  "Land  of  Morning  Calm." 


[390] 


APPENDIX 


APPENDIX 

I  KNOW  of  nothing  more  interesting  to  the  prospective  trav- 
eller than  an  interview  with  some  one  who  has  recently  re- 
turned from  the  land  he  contemplates  visiting.  While  it  is  true, 
that  general  information  concerning  the  best  routes,  cost  of 
transportation,  hotels,  etc.,  can  be  secured  from  an  army  of 
folders,  Cook,  Gaze,  Clark,  and  other  travelling  agencies,  yet 
there  remain  dozens  of  questions  which  can  only  be  answered 
by  those  who  have  been  there  and  are  able  to  supply  the  nec- 
essary local  coloring. 

In  the  preparation  of  "An  Army  Officer  on  Leave  in  Japan," 
I  have  considered  its  value  as  a  guide  for  those  contemplating 
a  journey  to  the  "Land  of  the  Rising  Sun,"  and  have  taken 
no  little  trouble  in  the  description  of  the  important  cities,  moun- 
tain resorts,  temples  and  other  points  of  interest  to  the  tourist. 
Fortunately  for  the  traveller,  Japan  is  a  long  and  narrow 
country  intersected  by  one  main  railway  which  stretches  from 
Nagasaki  in  the  south  to  Aomori  in  the  north,  and  which  with 
its  short  feeders  makes  it  possible  for  the  tourist  to  begin  at 
one  end,  and  without  retracing  his  steps,  practically  to  visit 
every  place  of  interest  in  the  Empire. 

Although  much  has  been  written  of  Japan  since  the  days  of 
its  seclusion,  which  lasted  until  Commodore  Perry's  visit  in 
1853-1854,  the  vast  majority  of  tourists  who  visit  the  country 
leave  without  a  sufficient  knowledge  of  its  history,  racial  origin, 
customs,  religion,  art,  and  literature,  to  derive  much  benefit  from 
their  visit.  In  order  to  supply  such  information,  I  have  in- 
serted a  number  of  chapters  covering  these  points,  which  should 
be  carefully  studied  by  every  one  who  travels  there. 

The  Empire  of  Japan,  excluding  Formosa  and  the  Loochoos 
on  the  south  and  Saghalien  on  the  north  extends  from  the  thir- 
tieth to  the  forty-fifth  degree  of  north  latitude.  It  will  therefore 
be  seen  that  the  country  is  by  no  means  situated  in  the  tropics 

[393] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

and  that  warm  clothing  is  necessary.  The  climate  is  cool,  invig- 
orating and  bracing,  and  there  are  no  nights  during  midsummer 
when  light  blankets  are  not  required.  Nagasaki,  which  lies  in  the 
southern  portion  of  the  Empire,  enjoys  a  much  warmer  climate 
than  Yokohama  in  the  central  north,  while  Nik-ko,  Sendai,  and 
northern  Japan  are  as  cool  in  summer  as  Maine  or  Canada. 

The  favored  seasons  for  visiting  Japan  are  during  April  and 
May,  the  season  of  the  cherry  blossom  and  wistaria,  or  October 
and  November  when  the  foliage  is  decked  in  all  its  glory  of 
red  and  gold.  The  rainy  season,  from  June  until  the  middle 
of  October,  varies,  but  is  no  more  disagreeable  than  the  cor- 
responding season  in  the  rainy  sections  of  the  United  States. 
April,  the  month  of  the  cherry  blossom,  may  offer  some  sur- 
prises to  the  tourist  who  visits  Dai-Nippon  for  the  first  time. 
Most  naturally,  he  would  expect,  with  the  advent  of  the  cherry 
blossom,  warmth  and  balmy  air,  while  on  the  contrary  he  is 
liable  to  experience  such  raw  and  cold  weather  as  to  require 
the  wearing  of  the  heaviest  wraps. 

The  tourist  will  find  excellent  hotels  in  all  of  the  large  cities 
of  Japan  and  comfortable  native  inns  in  the  smaller  towns. 
It  must  be  remembered,  however,  that  American  furniture  is  a 
scarce  article  in  native  inns  and  the  absence  of  bedsteads  and 
chairs  quite  marked.  Up  until  the  present  time  the  Japanese 
assume  the  tailor  posture  in  sitting  down  and  at  home  occupy 
mats  instead  of  chairs.  They  likewise  sleep  on  the  floor,  upon 
comfortable  thick  mats,  called  futons,  which  are  kept  in  cup- 
boards during  the  day. 

Guides  are  essential  in  Japan,  and  every  one  who  expects  to 
enjoy  and  understand  the  temples,  parks,  public  buildings,  and 
the  historical  interest  connected  with  them,  should  by  all  means 
provide  himself  with  one.  Fortunately  for  the  tourist  in  Japan, 
he  will  find  guides  educated  and  licensed  before  being  allowed 
to  practise  their  profession.  They  are  required  to  speak  English 
and  one  or  two  other  European  languages.  Two  dollars  per 
day  is  the  charge  for  a  party  of  two,  with  an  extra  twenty-five 
cents  for  each  additional  member  of  the  party.  Travellers 
touring  the  country  will  find  a  guide  almost  indispensable,  espe- 
cially in  visiting  interior  districts  where  English  is  not  spoken. 
The  following  is  a  fairly  complete  list  of  the  accredited  hotels 
and  inns  in  the  prominent  cities  and  resorts : 

[394] 


APPENDIX 

Aomori:  Nakaskima. 

Chuzenji:  Lake  Side. 

Gifu:  Tamai-ya. 

Gotemba:  Fuji-ya. 

Hakodate:  Hakodate. 

Hakone:  Hakone. 

Hiroshima:  Mizoguchi. 

Imari:  Tajima-ya. 

Kagoshima:  Yamashita,  and  Okabe. 

Kamakura:  Kai-hin-in. 

Kobe:  Tor,  Oriental,  Mikado,  and  Grand. 

Kure:  Miyoshi,  and  Horaisha. 

Kioto:  Kioto,  Miyako,  and  Yaami. 

Matsushima :  Matsushima. 

Miyajima:  Mikado,  and  Owaso. 

Miyanoshita:  Fujiya. 

Mizayu:  Araki-ya. 

Moji:  Ishida-ya,  and  Kawa. 

Nagasaki:  Cliff  House,  Nagasaki,  and  Bellevue. 

Nagoya:  Nagoya. 

Nara:  Nara,  and  Kikusui. 

Nik-ko:  Kanaya,  and  Nik-ko. 

Odowara:  Atami. 

Osaka:  Osaka. 

Sendai:  Sendai,  and  Mutsu. 

Shimonoseki:  Sanyo. 

Tokio:  Imperial,  Metropole,  and  Central. 

Yokohama :  Grand,  Oriental  Palace  Club,  and  Pleasanton. 

Rates  at  the  hotels  range  from  5  to  8  yen  per  day,  about 
$2.50  to  $4.00.  Cook  sells  coupons  at  the  rate  of  6  to  8  yen 
per  day  at  most  of  the  above  hotels.  Exceptions  are  made  at 
the  Grand  and  the  Oriental  Palace  in  Yokohama,  the  Imperial 
in  Tokio,  the  Mikado  at  Miyajima,  the  Oriental  and  the  Tor  in 
Kobe.  Cook's  coupons  are  accepted  in  these  hotels,  although 
an  extra  yen  or  two  may  be  demanded  during  the  tourist  season. 
Railroad  mileage  first-class  in  Japan  is  practically  the  same  as 
in  the  United  States.     Second  and- third  class  are  much  cheaper. 

While  Japanese  money  is  on  a  gold  basis,  the  yen,  which  is 
the  standard,  is  worth  about  fifty  cents.    The  fractional  money 

[395] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

is  the  sen  and  rin.  One  hundred  sen  make  a  yen,  and  ten  tin 
one  sew.  One  sen  therefore  equals  one-half  cent,  and  one  rin 
one-twentieth  of  a  cent.  The  fractional  money  is  divided  into 
20  sen,  10  sen  and  5  sen  pieces.  Besides  the  copper  2  sen  piece, 
there  are  5  rin  pieces. 

There  are  three  distinct  routes  to  the  Orient  and  Far  East, 
namely,  via  the  Pacific  coast,  the  Suez  Canal,  and  the  Trans- 
Siberian  Railway.  To  reach  the  Pacific  coast  from  New  York, 
Chicago  and  points  east  of  the  Mississippi  River,  the  traveller 
may  take  any  of  the  trans-continental  lines.  The  terminals  of 
the  six  trans-continental  lines  are  located  as  follows:  Union 
Pacific,  Santa  Fe,  and  Southern  Pacific  in  San  Francisco;  Great 
Northern  and  Northern  Pacific  in  Seattle;  Canadian  Pacific  in 
Vancouver.  All  of  these  lines  have  Eastern  connections  in  New 
York,  Chicago,  and  other  large  cities  east  of  the  Mississippi. 

The  regular  cost  of  a  first-class  railroad  ticket  from  New  York 
and  Chicago  to  San  Francisco  is  respectively  $79.75  and  $56.90, 
while  the  round  trip  for  nine  months  is  $148.20  and  $106.00.  To 
Seattle  from  New  York  or  Chicago,  $76.90  and  $56.90;  round 
trip  from  New  York  to  Seattle,  first-class,  good  for  nine  months, 
$148.20;  to  Vancouver  from  New  York  and  Chicago,  $76.90  and 
$56.90;  round  trip  from  New  York,  first-class,  good  for  nine 
months,  $148.20;  from  Chicago,  $106.00. 

The  price  of  railroad  tickets  from  the  East  to  the  Pacific 
coast  varies  according  to  the  season  of  the  year.  Quite  fre- 
quently excursion  rates  or  season  tickets  to  California  are  sold 
at  exceedingly  low  rates.  Second-class  tickets  cost  about  two- 
thirds  of  the  rate  of  a  first-class  ticket,  but  do  not  allow  the 
passenger  to  avail  himself  of  Pullman  sleepers.  Second-class 
passengers  must  take  tourist  sleepers  in  case  they  desire  sleeping 
cars.    The  cost  of  above  tickets  may  vary  from  time  to  time. 

Cost  of  a  lower  berth  on  the  Pullman  sleeper  from  New  York 
and  Chicago  to  the  Pacific  coast  is  respectively  $18.00  and 
$13.50.  The  cost  of  the  drawing-room  from  New  York  and 
Chicago  is  respectively  $66.00  and  $46.00. 

The  journey  from  New  York  to  San  Francisco  takes  98  hours; 
to  Seattle,  90  hours;  to  Vancouver,  98  hours. 

The  cost  of  meals  from  New  York  or  Chicago  to  the  Pacific 
coast  depends  more  or  less  on  the  habits  of  the  traveller.  Where 
exercise  is  necessarily  limited,  as  is  the  case  during  long  rail- 

[396] 


APPENDIX 

road  and  steamship  journeys,  travellers  should  be  very  moderate 
at  table,  in  order  to  preserve  good  health.  The  breakfast  should 
be  limited  to  toast  and  eggs  with  tea  or  coffee,  and  the  evening 
meal  should  be  equally  light.  One  full  meal  daily  with  a  light 
breakfast  and  supper  and  plenty  of  fruit,  h  an  ideal  diet  for 
travellers  on  long  railroad  or  steamship  trips  where  daily  exercise 
is  impossible.  The  judicious  traveller  should,  therefore,  find 
$2.50  ample  for  his  daily  needs  on  the  railroad  diner. 

Ocean  transportation  from  the  Pacific  coast  to  Japan  and  the 
Orient:  Pacific  Mail  and  Toyo  Kisen  Kaisha,  from  San  Fran- 
cisco. 

1.  The  fleet  of  the  Pacific  Mail  consists  of  the  Mongolia  and 
Manchuria,  27,000  tons,  Korea  and  Siberia,  18,000  tons,  China, 
10,200  tons,  Asia,  9,500  tons,  and  Persia,  9,000  tons.  The  first 
four  are  twin  screw  steamers,  while  the  two  latter  are  single 
screw. 

2.  Toyo  Kisen  Kaisha  fleet  consists  of  the  Tenyo  Maru  and 
Chiyo  Maru,  21,000  tons,  Nippon  Maru  and  America  Maru,  11,000 
tons.  The  two  former  are  triple  screw  steamers  and  the  two 
latter  twin  screws. 

Cost  of  ticket  from  San  Francisco  to  Honolulu,  one  way, 
$75.00;  to  Yokohama,  $200.00;  to  Kobe,  $207.50;  to  Nagasaki, 
$225.50;  to  Shanghai,  $225.50;  to  Hong  Kong  or  Manila,  $225.00. 
The  passenger  may  go  direct  from  Nagasaki  or  Hong  Kong 
to  Manila.  Return,  good  for  four  months,  from  Honolulu, 
$135.00;  from  Yokohama,  $300.00;  from  Kobe,  $312.50;  from 
Nagasaki,  $334.00;  from  Shanghai,  $337.50;  from  Hong  Kong 
or  Manila,  $337.50.  Add  $50.00  to  the  ticket  if  extended  to 
twelve  months. 

Length  of  voyage  from  San  Francisco  to  Honolulu,  6  days; 
to  Yokohama,  17  days;  Kobe,  20  days;  Nagasaki,  22  days; 
Shanghai,  24  days;  Hong  Kong,  27  days.  The  journey  from 
San  Francisco  to  Manila  via  Nagasaki  takes  about  30  days, 
including  the  stop  at  Honolulu  and  Japanese  ports. 

In  the  mid-Pacific  lies  the  Hawaiian  group  which  presents  an 
attractive  picture  of  tropical  life.  Tourists  travelling  via  the 
Pacific  Mail  or  the  Toyo  Kisen  Kaisha  lines  will  be  allowed  to 
break  the  journey  in  order  to  enjoy  a  visit  in  these  beautiful 
islands  where  the  climate  is  unexcelled  for  its  equableness.  Con- 
jure up  in  your  mind  balmy  breezes.,  blue  skies  and  the  most 

[397] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

beautiful  sunshine,  with  a  tropical  setting,  and  you  have  an  idea 
of  Honolulu  climate  and  surroundings  at  all  seasons  of  the 
year. 

You  will  also  find  here  excellent  hotels  and  many  exquisite 
places  to  visit  among  the  different  islands  of  the  group.  To 
interest  the  traveller  and  beguile  the  hours  away,  are  the  beau- 
tiful beach  of  Waikiki,  the  surf  bathing,  the  Pali,  parks,  aqua- 
rium of  the  most  beautiful  fish  in  the  world,  and  old  Diamond 
Head.  Among  the  hotels  may  be  mentioned  the  Moana,  Haleiwa, 
Honolulu,  Sea-Side,  Alexander  Young,  Royal  Hawaiian,  and 
Pleasanton,  at  reasonable  prices. 

Great  Northern  Steamship  Company  and  the  Nippon  Yusen 
Kaisha  from  Seattle: 

3.  Minnesota,  28,000  gross  tonnage,  belonging  to  the  Great 
Northern  Steamship  Company. 

4.  Fleet  of  the  Nippon  Yusen  Kaisha:  Inaba  Maru,  Kama- 
kura  Maru,  Tamba  Maru,  Sado  Maru,  and  the  Awa  Maru.  All 
of  the  vessels  belonging  to  this  line  vary  from  6,000  to  7,000  in 
tonnage. 

Cost  of  tickets  from  Seattle  one  way  to  Yokohama,  $125.00; 
to  Kobe,  $127.50;  to  Nagasaki,  $137.50;  to  Shanghai,  $140.00; 
to  Hong  Kong  or  Manila,  $150.00;  return  in  four  or  twelve 
months  from  Manila  or  Hong  Kong,  $225.00  or  $262.50;  from 
Shanghai,  $210.50  or  $245.00;  from  Nagasaki,  $207.50  or  $240.00; 
from  Kobe,  $192.50  or  $225.00;  from  Yokohama,  $187.50  or 
$220.50. 

Length  of  voyage  from  Seattle  to  Yokohama,  17  days;  to 
Kobe,  19  days;  to  Shanghai,  28  days;  to  Hong  Kong,  31  days. 
Stops  are  made  of  3  days  at  Yokohama,  3  days  at  Kobe,  2 
days  at  Shanghai.  The  Minnesota  sails  from  Seattle  to  Manila, 
via  Yokohama,  Kobe,  and  Nagasaki,  and  makes  the  trip  in 
about  35  days,  returning  via  Hong  Kong,  Shanghai,  Nagasaki, 
Kobe,  and  Yokohama.  All  the  vessels  of  the  Nippon  Yusen 
Kaisha  sail  to  Hong  Kong,  via  Yokohama,  Kobe,  and  Shanghai, 
except  the  Sado  and  Kamakura,  which  sail  only  to  Kobe. 

Canadian  Pacific  Royal  Mail  Steamship  Company  from  Van- 
couver : 

5.  Fleet  of  the  Canadian  Pacific :  Empress  of  India,  Empress 
of  Japan,  Empress  of  China,  and  Monteagle.  All  of  these  ves- 
sels sail  from  Vancouver  to  Hong  Kong,  via  Yokohama,  Kobe, 

[398] 


APPENDIX 

and  Shanghai,  and  make  connection  from  Hong  Kong  to  Manila, 
Sailing  time  from  Vancouver  to  Yokohama,  14  days;  to  Hong 
Kong,  22  days.  Add  2  days  from  Hong  Kong  to  Manila,  mak- 
ing about  24  to  25  days  for  the  entire  journey. 

First-class  ticket,  one  way,  from  Vancouver  to  Yokohama, 
$200.00;  Kobe,  $207.50;  Nagasaki,  $222.50;  Shanghai,  $225.00; 
Hong  Kong,  $225.00;  Manila,  $225.00.  Round  trip  to  Hong 
Kong  or  Manila  and  return,  good  for  four  months,  $337.50,  for 
twelve  months,  $393.75. 

The  Canadian  Pacific  also  sells  a  special  ticket  to  missionaries 
and  their  families  to  Yokohama  and  Hong  Kong,  one  way,  for 
$133.35  and  $150.00,  and  return,  good  for  four  months,  $200.00 
and  $225.00.  Besides  this  they  have  an  intermediate  ticket  to 
Yokohama  and  Hong  Kong  or  Manila,  one  way,  for  $100.00  and 
$115.00. 

We  will  now  return  to  the  Atlantic  sea-board.  Among  the 
steamship  lines  shipping  passengers  to  the  Orient  or  Far  East 
from  the  United  States  may  be  mentioned  the  North  German 
Lloyd,  Cunard,  and  Spanish  Mail.  If  travellers  so  elect,  they 
may  take  passage  to  Europe  on  any  of  the  many  lines  sailing 
from  the  United  States  and  select  their  Oriental  line  after 
arrival. 

The  North  German  Lloyd  line  leaves  Bremen,  Hamburg,  Rot- 
terdam, Antwerp,  Southampton,  Gibraltar,  Algiers,  Genoa,  or 
Naples.  The  Cunard  line  maintains  a  joint  service  with  the 
Peninsular  and  Oriental  Steamship  Navigation  Company  and 
accepts  passengers  from  Liverpool,  Gibraltar,  Naples,  Mar- 
seilles, or  Brindisi.  The  Spanish  Mail  leaves  New  York  monthly, 
and  transfers  its  Oriental  passengers  to  its  Eastern  connections 
with  lines  running  to  Hong  Kong  and  Nagasaki. 

Among  the  other  Oriental  steamship  lines  running  to  China 
and  Japan  may  be  mentioned  the  Italian  line  from  Genoa  and 
Naples,  Messageries  Maritimes  from  Marseilles  to  China  and 
Japan,  Nippon  Yusen  Kaisha  from  London  to  China  and  Japan, 
Shire  line  from  London  to  China  and  Japan,  and  Glen  line  to 
London,  China,  and  Japan. 

Cost  of  tickets  by  these  lines  to  ports  in  China  and  Japan, 
and  to  Manila,  from  their  initial  port  in  Europe,  one  way,  are 
as  follows: 
North  German  Lloyd  Line  from  New  York  or  Boston,  one  way, 
[399] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

to  Hong  Kong,  $374.00;  Shanghai,  $374.00;  Kobe,  $374.00; 
Yokohama,  $374.00;  Manila,  $374.00;  both  ways,  $641.00. 

Peninsular  and  Oriental  Steamship  Navigation  Company  from 
London  first-class  to  Hong  Kong,  Shanghai,  Kobe,  and  Yoko- 
hama, $315.00;  return  for  6  months,  $470.00. 

Nippon  Yusen  Kaisha  from  London,  one  way,  to  Hong  Kong, 
Shanghai,  Kobe,  and  Yokohama,  $275.00  to  $300.00. 

Messageries  Maritimes  from  London,  one  way,  to  Hong  Kong, 
Shanghai,  Kobe,  and  Yokohama,  $357.50;  from  Marseilles  to 
same  ports,  $336.00. 

Shire  Line  from  London  to  ports  in  Japan,  $242.00. 

Glen  Line,  London  to  China  and  Japan,  $225.00. 

Passengers  engaging  passage  from  Boston  or  New  York  for 
the  Orient  and  electing  to  travel  by  rail  from  London,  Cher- 
bourg, or  other  cities  in  Europe  to  the  Mediterranean  ports, 
where  they  ship  for  the  East,  must  pay  extra  railroad  fare,  unless 
included  in  the  original  ticket  and  arranged  before  leaving  the 
United  States. 

Travellers  so  desiring  may  buy  tickets  on  the  P.  &  O.,  via 
Bombay,  and  travel  across  India  to  Calcutta.  From  here  they 
can  go  direct  or  via  Rangoon  to  Singapore,  from  where  the 
journey  to  China  and  Japanese  ports  may  be  continued.  Tickets 
from  London,  via  the  P.  &  O.,  one  way,  to  Aden  are  $259.00;  to 
Colombo,  $334.00 ;  to  Singapore,  $362.00. 

Travellers  to  the  Far  East  who  desire  to  minimize  as  far  as 
possible  the  journey  by  sea,  may  go  via  the  Trans-Siberian  Rail- 
way whose  eastern  terminal  is  in  Vladivostok.  The  journey  by 
rail  from  London  to  Vladivostok,  Dalny,  or  Shanghai  consumes 
from  12  to  14  days.  From  these  points  steamers  may  be  taken 
to  Chinese  and  Japanese  ports.  Distance  from  London  to  Mos- 
cow, 1890  miles;  to  Vladivostok,  7151  miles;  to  Dalny,  7253 
miles;  to  Peking,  7593  miles;  to  Yokohama,  7935  miles;  to  Shang- 
hai, 8273  miles.  Express  trains  via  the  Trans-Siberian  are 
equipped  with  luxurious  sleeping  apartments  with  baths,  electric 
lights,  fans,  handsome  diners,  smoking  apartments  with  libraries, 
and  excellent  food.  Foreigners  travelling  through  Russia  are 
required  to  show  passports  which  must  be  viseed  before  entering 
the  country.  They  must  also  be  presented  to  the  authorities 
before  leaving  the  country.     Ticket  from  London  to  Vladivostok, 

[400] 


APPENDIX 

first-class,  $235.73;  to  Peking,  $239.50;  to  Yokohama,  $260.78; 
second-class  to  Vladivostok,  $154.75. 

From  Harbin  the  road  runs  south  to  Dalny,  Tientsin,  and 
Peking.  From  Peking  the  traveller  may  cross  the  country  to 
Hankow  and  from  that  point  take  an  excellent  steamer  to  Shang- 
hai, via  the  Yangtse  River.  The  Chinese  government  has  under 
construction  a  railroad  from  Hankow  to  Canton  and  Hong 
Kong,  by  which  means,  within  a  few  years,  the  traveller  can 
practically  reach  the  Far  East  from  Europe  by  rail. 

Estimated  cost  of  a  four  months'  trip,  first-class,  from  New 
York  to  Japan,  via  Honolulu  and  return: 

Railroad  ticket  from  New  York  to  San  Francisco  and  return, 

including  sleepers  and  meals $155.00 

Steamship  ticket  first-class  from  San  Francisco  to  Nagasaki, 

Japan,  and  return 334.00 

Two  and  two-thirds  months'  board,  at  $100  per  month 267.00 

(One  and  one- third  months  will  practically  be  spent  on 
shipboard.) 

Railroad  and  ricksha  fares,  guides,  tips,  etc.,  in  Japan 75.00 

Total $831.00 

Should  the  traveller  continue  the  journey  to  Manila,  an  addi- 
tional $50.00  should  be  added. 

Second-class  or  intermediate  passage  can  be  secured  at  one- 
third  reduction  on  above  cost. 

Estimated  cost  of  a  four  months'  trip,  first-class,  from  New 
York  to  Japan,  and  return  via  the  Suez  Canal : 

Round  trip  steamer  ticket,   first-class,   from  New  York  to 

Japan  and  return $641.00 

One  and  a  half  month's  board,  at  $100  per  month 150.00 

Railroad  and  ricksha  fares,  guides,  admissions,  tips,  etc.. . . .       75.00 

Total $866.00 

An  additional  cost  of  $22.00  should  be  added  in  case  the 
traveller  goes  by  rail  from  London  to  Marseilles,  Naples,  or 
Brindisi. 

Should  the  traveller  desire  to  continue  the  journey  to  Hong 
Kong  or  Manila,  an  additional  $50.00  should  be  added. 

Second-class  and  intermediate  passage  can  be  secured  at  two- 
26  [  401  ] 


ON  LEAVE  IN  JAPAN 

thirds  of  passage  money.    Frequently,  excellent  passage  can  be 
secured  on  tramp  steamers  at  one-half  cost  of  regular  lines. 

Estimated  cost  of  a  four  months'  trip,  first-class,  from  New 
York  to  Japan,  via  the  Trans-Siberian  Railway: 

New  York  to  London  and  return $  150.00 

London  to  Yokohama  and  return 520.00 

Board  for  two  and  a  half  months  at  $100  per  month 250.00 

Meals  for  26  days  on  the  Trans-Siberian  and  Manchuria 

Railways,  at  $1.90  per  day 49.40 

Railroad  and  ricksha  fares,  guides,  admissions,  tips,  etc.,  in 

Japan 75.00 

Total $1,044.40 

Instead  of  returning  via  the  Trans-Siberian  Railway,  the 
journey  may  be  continued  from  Yokohama  to  San  Francisco 
and  New  York  for  about  $100.00  less  in  cost. 


THE  END 


INDEX 


Abet.la,  19. 
Adams,  Will,  175,  176. 
Agriculture,  Japanese,  229,  352. 
Aguinaldo,  26,  29,  44-48. 
Ainos,      early      inhabitants      of 

Japan,  153-155,  167,  216,  228, 

231,  292. 
Ako,  Lord,  203-212. 
Alejandrino,    insurgent    general, 

43. 
Alexieff,  Count,  265. 
Amaterasu,    Sun    Goddess,    102, 

150-152,    228,    230,    318,    324, 

326,   359. 
American  fleet,  in  Manila,  53-57 ; 

in  Japan,  287,  288;   compared 

with  Japanese,  382,  383. 
American  invasion  of  Japan,  138- 

142. 
Amida,  statue  of,  362. 
Amo-no-Hashidate,  251,  253,  254. 
Ancestor-worship,  150,  340. 
Anjiro,  344. 
Antipolo,  shrine  of,  42;  crime  in 

village  of,  42,  43. 
Arayat,  Mount,  43. 
Architecture,  Japanese,  155,  305, 

306. 
Arima,  125. 
Arita,  129. 
Army    and    Navy   Club,   Manila, 

3,  4,  12,  31. 


Army,  Japanese,  267,  275,  276, 
379-381,  384. 

Arnold,  Sir  Edwin,  300. 

Arsenal,  Naval,  at  Kure,  375-377. 

Aryan  race,  Japanese  belonging 
to,  153. 

Asakusa  Park,  196,  198. 

Ashikagas,  104,  237,  242,  243, 
310. 

Atlantic  Transportation  Com- 
pany, 34. 

Atsula,  temple  of,  153. 

Augusti,  General,  51,  55. 

Augustine,  Order  of  Saint,  see 
Friars,  Spanish. 

Ayala  Bridge,  22,  28. 

Ayuntamiento,  14,  15. 

Baseball  in  Japan,  191. 

Bataan  Mountains,  17. 

Benten,   the   goddess,    171,    189; 

temple  of,  189. 
Biac-nabat6,  treaty  of,  26,  48,  49. 
Bible,  Japanese,  151,  348. 
Big    Rock,    Sir,    see   Ronin,    the 

Forty-seven. 
Bilibid  prison,  24,  27,  45,  58. 
Binondo,  church  and  convent  of, 

3. 
Biwa,  Lake,  317. 
Blanco,  General,  12,  45,  46. 
Bluffs,  the,  Yokohama,   159. 


[403] 


INDEX 


Bonifacio,  Andres,  25. 

Boxer     Insurrection,    in    China, 

247,  263,  264. 
Bridge  of  Spain,  Manila,  4,  21, 

22. 
Bridge-work,  American,  in  Phil- 
ippines, 21. 
British,    in    Philippines,    16;    in 

Orient,  165. 
Bronze  Horse  Temple,  see  O-suwa. 
Brooks,  Bishop  Phillips,  331. 
Brown,  Dr.  Nathan,  347,  348. 
Brown,  Dr.  S.  R.,  347. 
Bubonic  plague,   in  Manila,   26, 

27. 
Buddha,    life    and    teachings    of, 

354-356;    statue   of,   see    Dai- 

butsu. 
Buddhism  in  Japan,  109-116,  161, 

162,    169,    187,    214,    217-219, 

231,   253,   260,    303,    310,   329, 

331,  344,  351-360. 
Buddhist  sects,  359,  360. 
Burgos,  the  priest,  19,  22. 
Burial,  in  the  United  States,  80; 

in  England,  80;  at  sea,  91,  92; 

in  Japan,  229,  324,  325. 
Bushido,  principles  of,  131,  294, 

358. 
Byodo-in,  temple  of,  322. 

Cajxk)CAN,  41;  battle  at,  44,  45. 
Camaya,  see  Mariveles. 
Camphor  supply  of  Japan,  87. 
Canadian     Pacific     Royal     Mail 

Steamship       Company,       398, 

399. 
Carabao,  4,  32. 

Carabao,  Order  of  the,  32-34. 
Carromato,  3,  4,  37. 


Catholicism  in  Japan,   102,   103, 

106,  107,  161,  346,  348. 
Cavite,  17,  22,  43,  44,  47-49,  53, 

55,  58. 
Chair,  non-use  of,  257. 
Chamberlain,  Professor,  112,  150, 

198,  295. 
Chang-chung-fu,  284. 
Cha-no-yu,  see  Tea  Ceremonies. 
Cherry  Blossom,  Festival  of  the, 

304,  305. 
"Chicago    of    Japan"     (Osaka), 

333. 
Chikusen,   prince  of,   111;    lords 

of,  134;  daimio  of,  218. 
Chinese,  in  Philippines,  4,  17,  23, 

42,  52;  in  Formosa,  83,  84;  in 

Korea,  105;  in  Japan,  155,  156, 

227,  232,  244,  247-250,  263. 
Chino-Japanese  War,  137,  266. 
Chion-in  monastery,  312. 
Cholera,  Asiatic,  in  Manila,  26, 

27,  68,  69,  81,  82. 
Christening  ceremony,  Japanese, 

364. 
Christianity,  in  Philippines,  11; 

in   Japan,    111,    114-117,    124, 

125,  162,  344. 
Chuai,  Emperor,  231. 
Chung  Ho,  Emperor,  83. 
Chuzenji,  Lake,  221,  225. 
Cliff  House,  Nagasaki,  101. 
Columbian  road,  of  Manila,  20. 
Concubinage,  system  of,  197. 
Confucius,    205,    206,    352,    358, 

359,  373. 
Constabulary,  Insular,  3,  5. 
Corregidor,  Island  of,  41,  52,  55- 

62,  68,  73,  81. 
Cosme  de  Torres,  109. 


[404] 


INDEX 


Courbet,  Admiral,  85. 
Court  life,  Japanese,  232,  233. 
Crime  in  Manila,  43. 
Cryptomerias,  214,  218,  225,  293, 

367. 
Culion,  island  of,  24. 
Cunard  line,  399. 
Curry  and  rice,  6,  178,  179. 
Custom-house,  Japanese,  100. 

Dai-butsu,    167,    168,   240,   312, 

328. 
Daimios,  244,  245,  294. 
Daiya-gawa,  224. 
Dancing,  Japanese,  318-320,  365, 

366. 
Dan-no-ura,     naval     engagement 

near,  142,  327,  362. 
Dasmarinas,  Governor,  17. 
Dazaifu,  the  capital  of  Kyushu, 

134. 
Dengyo   Daishi,    Buddhist   saint, 

323. 
Deshima,  island  of,  99. 
Dewey,  Admiral,  50-56,  59. 
Diaz,  Bartholomew,  108. 
Division   Hospital,    Manila,   21. 
Dockyards,  see  Arsenal,  Japanese 

naval. 
Dougherty  wagon,  37. 
Dreams,  Hall  of,  330. 
Drought  in  Philippines,  40,  41. 
Dutch,   in   Formosa,   84,   85;    in 

Japan,  114,  244. 
Dysuki,  174. 

Eco  de  FnjptNAS,  22. 
Ecumenical  council  of  Cashmere, 

360. 
Eitel,  Dr.,  360. 


Enko  Daishi,  312. 
Enoshima,     peninsula     of,     170; 
island  of,  171;  dragon  of,  189. 
Ita  people,  the,  207,  245. 

Faience,  manufacture  of,  135. 

Fatalism,  among  Filipinos,  27. 

Fenshuiling,  engagement  at,  279. 

"Filibusterismo,"  18. 

Filipinitis,  79. 

Fillmore,  President,  175,  246. 

Fireflies,   324. 

Fires,  306. 

Food,  Japanese,  155. 

Formosa,  82-88,  137,  249. 

Fraile,  the  rock,  41,  52,  56,  67. 

Franciscans,  see  Friars,  Spanish. 

French,  in  Formosa,  85. 

Friars,   Spanish,   13,   14,   22,   25, 

27,   43,   45-49,    100,    107,    109, 

111,    112,    176,    196,   314,   345, 

346. 
Fude-sute-matsu,   the    pine    tree, 

173. 
Fugi-sen-gen,  the  goddess,  258. 
Fuji,  the,  257-259. 
Fujiwara  family,*  233-235,  326. 
Fujiya  Hotel,  Myanoshita,  255. 
Fujiyama,  166,  171,  254,  295. 
Fukuoka,  the  castle  town,  134. 
Fukuyama,  castle  of,  369. 
Funston,  General,  43. 
Furniture,    Japanese,     177,    257, 

307,  394. 

Gaines,  Miss,  384,  385. 
Galleons,  Spanish,  31. 
Garambi  lighthouse,  82. 
Geisha  girls,  see  Dancing,  Japa- 
nese. 


[405] 


INDEX 


Gemmyo,  Empress,  150. 

Gensho,  Empress,  150. 

Geysers,  of  Kojigoku,  124. 

Ginkaku-ji,  310. 

Glen  line,  399,  400. 

Goa,  colony  of,  109;  college  of, 
3,  109,  344. 

Go-Daigo,  Emperor,  362. 

"Golden  Pavilion,"  the,  310,  311. 

Gomez,  19,  22. 

Gonara,  the  Mikado,  104. 

Goro,  259,  260. 

Go-Shirakawa,  234,  235. 

Goto,  Baron   Shimpei,  82. 

Grand  Hotel,  Yokohama,  158, 
159,  166. 

Grant,  General,  217. 

Great  Northern  Steamship  Com- 
pany, 398. 

Gregory,  Pope,  112,  113. 

Griffis,  Mr.,  154,  352,  353. 

Guides,  Japanese,  for  travelling, 
394. 

HAoniMAN,  102,  168,  231,  343. 

Hakata,  135. 

Hakone,  lake  and  island  of,  256, 

259,  261,  262. 
Hara-kiri,  93,  105,  108,  134,  204, 

210,    212,   239,   293,    362,    363, 

373,  374. 
Harpists,  Spanish,  57-59. 
Harquebuses,  109. 
Hawaiian  Islands,  397,  398. 
Hemmi  Jinroda,  133. 
Hepburn,  Dr.  J.  C,  346,  347. 
Hiaksai,  King,  356. 
Hibiya  Park,  191. 
Hidari  Jingori,  219,  308. 
Hidetada,  187,  189,  297. 


Hideyori,  106-108,  113,  301,  334. 
Hideyoshi,  104-106,  111-113,  129, 

193,    243,    254,    255,    301,   308, 

311,  322,  333,  345,  367,  387. 
Higashi   Hong-wanji,   temple   of, 

197,  309,  334. 
Higo,    Prince,    111;    province  of, 

143;  rebellion,  247. 
Himeji,  castle  at,  366,  367. 
Hiroshige,  293. 

Hiroshima,  376,  382,  383,  385. 
Hitomaro,  the  poet,  366. 
Hodzu  Rapids,  314-316. 
Hojo,   family  of,    167,    168,    170, 

235-237,  239-242,  254,  255. 
Hoko-ji,  312. 
Hokusai,  258,  293. 
Hong  Kong  chair,  74,  75. 
Honnoji,  Battle  of,  198. 
Hooker,  59,  60. 
Horin  Goseda,  198,  199. 
Horyuji,  temple  of,  329. 
Hospitals,  Japanese,  383,  384. 
Hotels,  list  of,  394,  395. 
Hyogo,  the  ancient  capital,  361, 

362. 


Iemitsu,  115,  187,  194,  196,  219, 

221,  243,  244. 
Ieyasu,  the  great  shogun,  24,  25, 

104,  106-108,  112-115,  168, 

176,  187-189,  193,  198,  218- 

221,  243,  263,  296,  297,  301, 

334,  346,  354. 
Igorots,  325. 

Ikuta  Shinto  temple,  364,  365. 
Imperial   guards,   Japanese,   380, 

381. 
Imperial  naval  college  of  Japan, 

376,  378. 
[406] 


INDEX 


Imperial  palace,  305. 

Imperial  railway  of  Japan,  369. 

Imus,  battle  of,  26,  29,  46,  47. 

India,  sea-route  to,  108. 

Inland  Sea,  61,  126,  144-147,  367, 

373,  356-388. 
Insurrection,  Philippine,  of  1872, 

44;  of  1896,  32,  44-49,  80. 
Ise,   shrine   and  temple  of,   153, 

230,  231,  298,  318,  340,  359. 
Ishikake-yama,  254. 
Isla      de      Mindanao,      Spanish 

transport  55. 
Ito,  Admiral,  248,  372. 
Iwaso,  388. 
Izamagi,  151,  253. 
Izanagi,  151,  253. 
Izume,  152. 

Japan,  ceramic  art  in,  106,  129, 
298,  299;  railroads  of,  126, 
127,  182,  153,  214,  215,  222, 
289,  393,  395;  feudalism  in, 
129-134,  143,  233,  234,  238- 
247,  294;  Europeanization  of, 
130,  131;  revolution  of  1867- 
8  in,  131,  333,  334,  344;  mili- 
tary posts  of,  147;  mythology 
of,  150-153,  171,  227;  educa- 
tion in,  194,  195,  222,  223; 
parliament  of,  194;  history  of, 
227-237;  population  of,  244; 
navy  of,  266,  267,  270,  271, 
377-380;  fishing  industry  in, 
300;  temples  of,  306,  309-313, 
316,  327,  357,  358;  music  of, 
319;  missionaries  in  346-350; 
English  language  in,  368,  369; 
military  schools  of,  381,  382; 
geographical   position   of,   393, 


394;  climate  of,  394;  hotels 
of,  394,  395;  guides  to,  394; 
money  of,  395,  396;  transpor- 
tation  of,    396-402. 

Japanese,  in  Formosa,  85-87; 
origin  of,  149;  language  of, 
154-156;  patriotism  of,  192, 
193,  195,  223,  285,  343,  344; 
habits  of,  285. 

Jasmine,  87. 

Jean  Ferdinand,  109. 

Jesuits,  Order  of  the,  see  Friars, 
Spanish. 

Jimmu  Tenno,  102,  149,  153, 
228-238,  324,  339,  356. 

Jingo  Kogo,  102,  231. 

Jinricksha,  119,  289. 

Jizo,  image  of,  260. 

Jodo  sect,  187,  312,  359. 

Juan,  Christian  convert,  109. 

Juro,  259,  260. 

Kaempeb,  Dr.,  154. 
Kago,  257,  293. 
Kagoshima,  108-111. 
Kagura,  dance,  220,  327,  344. 
Kamakura,   the   ancient    capital, 

166,  167,  240. 
Kanaya  Hotel,  Nik-ko,  216. 
Kanazawa,    village    and    peony 

garden  of,  173,  174. 
Kano  Tanyu,  the  artist,  309. 
Karasaki,  pine  tree  at,  316,  317. 
Kashiwabara,  153,  324. 
Kasuga-no-miya,  326,  327. 
Katipunan  Society,  25;  discovery 

of,  44. 
Katsura  Summer  Palace,  311. 
Kawakwan,  General,  193. 
Kawamura,  Admiral,  132,  133. 


[407] 


INDEX 


Kawasaki,  183,  184. 

Kegon  Fall,  224. 

Keiko,  230,  231. 

Keitai  Tenno,  231. 

Keller,  General,  277. 

Kelung,  railroad  from,  82,  85,  86, 

88. 
Kin-ka-kuji,  monastery  of,  243. 
Kin-kwa-zan,   the   Sacred   Island 

of,  252. 
Kioto,  142,  202,  289,  302-313. 
Kira,  Sir,  see  Ronin,  the  Forty- 
seven. 
Kiroshima,  183. 
Kitasato,  194. 
Kiyomori,  142,  143,  235,  236,  238, 

239,  362. 
Kobe,  148,  337,  361,  363-369. 
Kobo  Daishi,  Saint,  183,  359. 
Kobori  Eushu,  311. 
Kodama,  Viscount,  82. 
Kojiki,  the  sacred  book,  149-151, 

228,  300. 
Koma-ga-take,  260. 
Komura,  Baron,  265,  284. 
Korea,    105,    106,    129,    247-250, 

284. 
Koreans,  invasions  of,  155. 
Kosme,  Father,  111. 
Koxinga,  85. 
Kozu,  254,  295. 
Kubi-zuka,  107,  301. 
Kublai  Khan,  170,  241. 
Kudan  shrine,  192,  340. 
Kufer,  Admiral,  163. 
Kumamoto,  garrison  of,  132. 
Kunosan,  218,  296. 
Kurino,   the   Japanese   minister, 

266,  267. 
Kuroda  family,  the,  134,  135. 


Kuroki,  General,  275-283. 
Kuropatkin,  General,  277-285. 
Kusunoki   Masashige,  242,  362. 
Kwammu,  the  sovereign,  303,  312. 
Kwan-chang-tsu,  284. 
Kwannon,  122,  168,  198,  313,  328, 

335. 
Kwannon-no-taki,     waterfall     of, 

122. 
Ky-o-zo,  219. 
Kyushu,   102,  111-114,  130,  143, 

229-231,  240. 

"Lady  of  the  Decoration,"  385. 

La  Loma,  church  of,  41. 

Lamsdorff,  Count,  265,  266. 

Landor,  J.  Savage,  68. 

Lastoa,  Colonel,  55. 

Lee,  General  Fitz  Hugh,  59. 

Lee,  Robert  E.,  134. 

Legaspi,  Adelantado  Miguel  de, 

11,  13,  14,  18,  353. 
Leprosy,     in     islands,     24;     in 

Manila,  26. 
Liaotung,  Peninsula  of,  249,  266, 

284. 
Liaoyang,    battle   at,    277,    279- 

281. 
Liga  de  los  Filipinos,  25. 
Li  Hung  Chang,  137,  249. 
Li  Kamon-no-kami,  139,  246. 
Limahong,  Chinese  invader,  15. 
Loochoo  Islands,  89,  247. 
Loochoon,  colony  of,  83. 
Luneta,  16-19,  56. 

Macao,  colony  of,  108. 
Magellan,  2,  4,  20. 
Makaroff,  Admiral,  272. 


[408] 


INDEX 


Malacafian,  27. 

Malay  race,  27,  84,  153,  156,  288, 

289,   368. 
Malecon  Driveway,  16,  17. 
Manchuria,  264-266,  284. 
Manchurian  railway,  264. 
Manila,  harbor  of,  3,  17,  61,  62; 

custom  house  of,  3,  8;  hotels 

of,  5;  geographical  position  of, 

11 ;  Botanical  Garden  of,  4,  21 ; 

founders  of,  13;  fall  of,  15,  45, 

46;    roads   and   parks  of,   16; 

walls  of,  17;  sanitary  condition 

of,  26,  27;  bay  of,  40-44,  60, 

73. 
Manila  Bay,  Battle  of,  50-55. 
Manilat,  11. 

Manuscripts,  Japanese,  297. 
"Margarine  Sisters,"  285,  286. 
Mariano,  Padre,  22,  289! 
Mariano  Gil,  Padre,  26,  44. 
Mariveles,  61,  62,  64-68,  73. 
Massage,  Japanese,  123,  124. 
Matsushima,  251,  252. 
McDougal,  Captain  David,  140. 
"Memorials  of  Japan,"  176. 
Messageries  Maritimes,  125,  126, 

399,  400. 
Methodist    Mission     College,    in 

Japan,  383,  384. 
Michizane,  234. 
Minamotos,    142,    143,   233,   234, 

239,  362. 
Mindanao,  11. 
Mindoro,  68. 
Mio-no-matsubara,  296. 
"Missionary's     Call,     The,"     Dr. 

Nathan  Brown,  quoted,  347. 
Missionaries,  rates  to,  399. 
Mitsunari,  106,  107. 


Miyajima,     the     Sacred    Island, 

251,  254,  386-388. 
Miyako  hotel,  Kioto,  303. 
Mochihito,  Prince,  322. 
Moji,  121,  122,  125,  135. 
Momoyama,  battle  at,  321,  322. 
Money,  Japanese,  395. 
Mongolian   race,    153,    155,    156, 

368. 
Monja,  41,  56,  67. 
Monto  sect,  198. 
Montojo,  Admiral,  48,  51,  52,  54, 

55. 
Moslem  faith,  in  Philippines,  11. 
Motienling  Pass,  277. 
Motoori,  343. 
Mukden,  282. 

Munemori,  142,  143,  239,  362. 
Murray's  Hand-Book,  185,  295. 
Music,  Japanese,  319. 
Musuhito,  193. 
Mutsu-no-kami,  252. 
Myanoshita,  255,  259. 

Nabeshima,  daimio,  129. 
Nabeshima  family,  129,  130. 
Nagasaki,    31,    92,    97-102,    112, 

120-125. 
Nagoya,  297,  298. 
Nan  Shan,  battle  of,  278. 
Nanko,  temple  of,  362. 
Nara,  318,  325,  326,  331. 
Neale,  Colonel,  139. 
Negritos,  84. 
Nigishi  Hong-wanji,  334. 
Ni-gwatsu-do,  327,  328. 
Nihongi,  the  sacred   book,    149- 

151,  228. 
Nijo  Castle,  305,  307. 
Nik-ko,  187,  213-221,  296. 


[409] 


INDEX 


Nik-ko  Hotel,  Nik-ko,  216. 
Ninigi,  153,  228,  229,  297,  326. 
Ninigi-no-Mikoto,  153. 
Nino  de  Tabora,  Governor  Juan, 

42. 
Nintoku,  231. 
Nippon  Yusen  Kaisha,  125,  398- 

400. 
Nishi-Hongwanji,  309. 
Nitta  Yoshisada,  168,  242. 
Kobunaga,  Ota,  104-106,  111,  112, 

193,   243,   307,   316,   345,   358, 

367. 
Nodzu,  General,  276-283. 
Nogi,  General,  276-283. 
Nogouchi,  194. 

"Noli  me  tangere,"  Rizal,  18. 
Norddeutcher    Lloyd    line,    125, 

399. 
Nozelado,  25,  45,  51. 
Nunobiki  waterfalls,  364,  365. 

Obaku-san,  temple  of,  322. 

O'Brien,  Mr.,  185,  186. 

Odawara  Conference,  255. 

Ogawa,  General,  278. 

Oiso,  295. 

Ojigoku,  262. 

Ojin,  see  Hachiman. 

Okayama,  369. 

Oku,  General,  275-283. 

Ola  Dokwan,  193. 

Omura  Hyobu  Tayu,  111,  193. 

Ono  Garoeman,  169. 

Oolong  tea,  87. 

Oranges,  in  Japan,  230. 

Oriental  Cable  Company,  60. 

Oriente  Hotel,  Manila,  3,  5,  24. 

Osaka,  108,  229,  331-334. 

Oshima,  General,  248. 


O-suwa,  the  temple  of,  120. 


Pacific  mail  line,  397. 

Pacific,  voyage  across,  2. 

Painting,  Japanese,  307. 

Pampanga,  43. 

Pandacan,  cemetery  of,  28. 

Parliament,  Japanese,  194. 

Paterno,  Don  Pedro  A.,  48. 

Patriotism  of  Japanese,  192, 
193,  195,  223,  285,  343,  344. 

Patriot's  Shrine,  see  Shohonsha. 

Paulo  de  Santa  Fe,  109. 

Peninsular  and  Oriental  Steam- 
ship Navigation  Company, 
399,  400. 

Perry,  Commodore,  114,  130,  138, 
139,  141,  161,  162,  172,  173, 
175,  185,  244,  245,  263,  307, 
346,  348. 

Persecution  of  Christians,  see 
Christianity  in  Japan. 

Pescadores  Islands,  249. 

Philippine  Commission,  8. 

Philippines,  imports  and  exports 
of,  8  j  conditions  in,  9,  10; 
forests  of,  9,  21  j  products  of, 
9;  agricultural  industries  of, 
10;  arrival  of  Spaniards  in, 
11;  climate  of,  12,  40,  41. 

Phoenix  Hall,  322,  323. 

Piedras  lighthouse,  81,  82. 

Pinto,  Mendez,  108,  109. 

"Plain  of  the  Barrier,"  battle  of, 
107. 

Plains  of  Heaven,  173. 

Polavieja,  12,  18,  45,  48. 

Porcelain,  see  Japan,  ceramic  art 
in. 


[410] 


INDEX 


Port  Arthur,  248,  249,  265-267, 

272,  278,  281-284,  340,  389. 
Portsmouth,  Treaty  of,  274,  284. 
Portuguese,  in  Formosa,  S3,  84; 

in   Japan,   99,    100,    102,   113, 

345. 
Printing  Press,  Civil  Government, 

20. 
Prostitution,  199,  200. 
Protestant  sects  in  Japan,  110. 

Quarantine  station,  in  Manila, 
62,  63,  69-72 ;  in  Japan,  92-95. 

Race  Club,  Tokio,  184. 
Railroads,    Japanese,    126,    127, 

182,    183,   214,   215,   222,   289, 

393,    395. 
Railway     Nationalization     Law, 

126. 
Refrigerating  Plant,  Manila,  21. 
Richardson,  C.  L.,  162,  163,  183. 
Ricksha,  see  Jinricksha. 
Rinnoji,  218. 

Rivera,  General  Primo  de,  48,  49. 
Riyobu-Buddhism,  343,  359,  360. 
Rizal,  Jose,   12,   18,  25,  46,  48; 

widow  of,  29. 
"Robe  of  Feathers,"  296. 
Rodjestvensky      Admiral,      273, 

274,  283,  340. 
Ronin,  the  Forty-seven,  200-212. 
Roosevelt,  President,  283. 
Rosen,  Baron,  283,  284. 
Roxas,  19. 
Russo-Japanese  War,  263-286. 

Sabubo,  Prince,  131,  132,  162, 

163,  183. 
Sacred  Bridge,  Nik-ko,  217,  222. 


Saga,  129. 

Saghalien,  island  of,  266. 

Saigo  Takamori,  131,  134. 

Saikokuji  temple,  369. 

St.  Andrew,  Church  of,  190. 

Sakaki,  341. 

8aU,    121,    178,    209,    285,    319, 

320,  336,  338,  344,  364. 
Salcedo,  Juan,  13. 
Salvation  Army,  in  Japan,  350. 
Sama,  Lord,  203,  204. 
Sampans,  97,  98. 
Samurai,  132,  245,  294. 
San  Andrew,  Church  of,  15. 
San  Juan  del  Monte,  22,  26,  45. 
San  Lazaro,  hospital  of,  24. 
Sanetomo,  168. 
Sanjusan-gendo    Temple,    Kioto, 

122. 
Santa  Cruz  Bridge,  21. 
Santiago,  Fortress  of,  15,  16,  26, 

45,  55. 
Santo  Domingo,  Church  of,  15. 
Santo  Tomas,  college  and  museum 

of,  15. 
Sanyo  Hotel,  Shimonoseki,  136. 
Satow,  Sir  Ernest,  359,  360. 
Satsuma,  Prince  of,  109,  130,  131, 

163,  246. 
Satsuma,  Princess  of,  110. 
Satsuma  Rebellion,  130-134,  193, 

247. 
Saussalitch,  General,  277. 
Seifukuji,  temple  of,  363. 
Sekigahara,  107,  168,  301. 
Sengakuji,  200. 
Seto,  potteries  of,  298,  299. 
Sha-ho,  Battle  of  the,  281. 
Shamanism,  339. 
Shiba  Park,  186-190. 


[411] 


INDEX 


Shiga,  194. 

Shimabara,    Rebellion    of,     115, 

116;  peninsula  of,  123,  125. 
Shim-baba  Park,  130. 
Shimo  Gamo  Temple,  311. 
Shimonoseki,    85,    136-145,    240, 

249,  266. 
Shintoism,    102,    110,    112,    150, 

187,   205,   217,   218,   228,   230, 

232,  233,  297,   303,  331,  338- 

344,  359. 
Shire  line,  399,  400. 
Shodo  Shonin,  Saint,  217. 
Shogunate,  234,  235,  293. 
Shoshonsha  shrine,  192. 
Shoshu,  137,  140. 
Shrines,  42. 

Silk  industry,  135,  300. 
"Silver  Pavilion,"  The,  310. 
Simon  de  Anda,  Don,  monument 

to,  16. 
Smallpox,  in  Manila,  26,  27. 
Soga,  356,  357. 
Sorinto,  218. 

Spanish-American  War,  50-56. 
Spanish  fleet,  53. 
Spanish,   in   Philippines,   11;    in 

Formosa,  84,  85. 
Spanish  Mail  line,  399. 
Starck,  Admiral,  271. 
Steamship  lines,  125,  397-400. 
Stefanoff,  Captain,  268-270. 
StBssel,  General,  278-283. 
Subashira,  258. 
Suiko,   Empress,    198,   232,   329, 

343,  386. 
Suinin,  229. 

Sujin,  Emperor,  229,  230. 
Suketsune,  Kudo,  260. 
Susa-no-o,  151,  152,  230,  386. 


Suspension  Bridge,  Manila,  21. 
Swords,  wearing  of,  132. 

Tadashima,  99. 
Taft,  William  H.,  8. 
Taikosama,  105. 
Tai-kyokuden  palace,  312. 
Tailors,  Chinese,  160,  161;  Yoko- 
hama, 161. 
Tairas,   the,    142,    143,   233-237, 

239,  327,  362. 
Taishi,    Shotuku,    232,    329-331, 

334,  357. 
Takahira,  Mr.,  284. 
Takida  Shingen,  296. 
Takeo,  129. 
Tanabe  Sakura,  317. 
Tea,  291,  323,  324,  371. 
Tea  ceremonies,  243,  299,  310. 
Temmu,  Emperor,  150. 
Temples  of  Japan,  306,  309-313, 

316,  327,  357,  358. 
Tenjen,  temple  dedicated  to,  134. 
Tennis  in  Japan,  191. 
Thelisz,  battle  of,  279. 
Thousand  Mats,  Hall  of  a,  387. 
Tickets  to  Japan,   cost  of,   396, 

397. 
Tientsin,  264. 
Ting,  Admiral,  248,  249. 
Tips,  290. 

Todaiji,  temple  of,  327,  328. 
Togo,    Admiral,    230,    248,    267, 

270-274,  340. 
To-go-shu,  219. 
Tokaido  Highway,  183,  254,  255, 

258,  289,  292-294. 
Tokihara,  the  Kwambaku,  234. 
Tokio,    182-185,    188,    193,    197, 

202,  303. 


[412] 


INDEX 


Tokugawa  shoguns,  98,  138,  197, 

240,  244. 
Tomucheng,  engagement  at,  279. 
Tondo,  11,  22,  25,  26,  44. 
Tonosawa,  255. 
Topacio,  SeBor,  49. 
"Torments  of  the  Fosse,"  115. 
Toyo  Kisen  Kaisha,  125,  397. 
Transportation,   to   Japan,   396- 

402. 
Transports,  army,  30-32,  34-37. 
Trans-Siberian  Kailway,  400-402. 
Trent,  Council  of,  19. 

Ubago,  262. 

Ueno  Park  of  Tokio,  134,  196. 

University  of  Japan,  347. 

University  of  Kioto,  195. 

University  of  Tokio,  194. 

Uraga,  175. 

Urdaneta,  Andres  de,  18. 

Urdaneta,  Fray,  13,  18,  353. 

Uriu,  Admiral,  267-270. 

Utomaro,  353. 

Uzume,  318. 

Veles,  Padre,  65-68. 
Verbeck,  G.  F.,  347. 
Verestchagen,  death  of,  272. 
Vladivostok,  273. 

Waited  City,  Manila,  11,  17. 
Webster,  Daniel,  173. 
Weyler,  General,  12. 
Wilkinson,  Clifford,  366. 


Witte,  Count,  283,  284. 

Women,  Filipino,  28,  29;  Japa- 
nese, 299,  300,  313,  349,  370, 
371. 

Wood,  Colonel  0.  E.,  267. 

Xavteb,  Saint  Francis,  89,  109- 
111,  161,  313,  344. 

Yaami  hotel,  Kioto,  303. 

Ya-ku-shi,  219. 

Yamato-dake,  230. 

Yang,  Emperor,  83. 

Yedo,  168,  193,  202,  213,  292,  340. 

"Yedo  Blossom,"  306. 

Yokohama,  158-166,  288. 

Yokosuka,  172-175;  Marine  Bi- 
ological Laboratory  of,  172; 
dockyards  of,  172-175. 

Yokushi,  330. 

Yomei,  Emperor,  329. 

Yorimasa,  322. 

Yoritomo,  100,  142,  143,  167,  169, 
198,  235-237,  239,  240,  254, 
295,  326-328,  361-363. 

Yoshinaka,  142,  239. 

Yoshitomo,  235,  236. 

Yoshitsune,  143,  235,  239,  240, 
326. 

Yoshiwara,  palace  of,  199,  200. 

Young  Men's  Christian  Associa- 
tion, in  Japan,  350. 

Zamora,  Father,  19,  22. 
Zojoji,  temple  of,  186,  187,  189. 


THE  END 


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